The sense of coherence among nurses

Through the construct "The sense of coherence'' (SOC), the salutogenic model explains why people subjected to stressors are able to maintain good health. The SOC was defined by Antonovsky as a global orientation that expresses the extent to which a person has a highly internalized, permanent - but at the same time dynamic - feeling of confidence; this feeling of confidence is predictable and leads to a high probability that events will turn out well. The present article reviews the literature on the SOC in the nursing profession. The results show that the SOC is a protective factor against stressors in the work environment and in the work-life balance. Low SOC levels are associated with health problems such as burnout or depression, as well as certain personality traits. (C) 2012 Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.