Emotions and Their Cognitive Precursors

This study used Smith and Lazarus's appraisal model to explore nurses' emotional reactions to self-identified distressing work situations. Key situations reported typically involved time or interpersonal pressure, coping with errors at work, difficulties with patients, and managerial conflict. The strongest emotions experienced were anger and frustration. Anxiety and sadness were less endorsed. Most nurses felt able to cope emotionally and problem-solve solutions to the problems they faced. The findings were generally supportive of Smith and Lazarus's theory, with the exception of the emotion of sadness. The implications of the results are discussed.