The study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of a cognitive-behavioral stress management program on psychosocial stress, mood states, and ways of coping with stress for emergency department (ED) nurses.

The study design was a non-equivalent control group with a pre/post design. The study was conducted from July 1, to September 30, 2016. The sample population comprised nurses who work in ED in Seoul, South Korea. The sample size was 79 which included 39 in the experimental group and 40 in the control group. Seven sessions of a program (50 minutes/session) were provided over 4weeks. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics: the χ²-test and the t-test with the SPSS/WIN 21.0 program.

There were statistically significant differences in psychosocial stress, mood states, and ways of coping with stress between the experimental group and the control group. However, the sub-hypothesis regarding the degree of using passive coping skills was not supported.

The results of this study indicate that a cognitive-behavioral stress management program for ED nurses is effective in reducing psychosocial stress, changing mood states positively, and improving ways of coping with stress effectively.