Sunday April 18, 2010
The medical profession is a highly stressful one, and handling job stress to prevent burn-out is paramount for medical professionals to have successful careers. While most jobs include some degree of stress, health careers are probably among the most stressful, due to the nature of the work.
In addition to the normal job stress all workers experience in any career, such as commutes, conflicts with coworkers or supervisors, long hours, etc., healthcare professionals must deal with sick patients and their worried families, and some very high-pressure, intense situations depending on your specific role in the medical field. Additionally, due to cutbacks in many hospitals, health professionals are busier than ever, covering extra shifts, or handling more work due to staff cuts. With the passage of health reform, workloads are due to increase even further in the coming months and years as millions of patients gain health insurance coverage and seek long-awaited medical care.
So how do you handle the stress to prevent burn-out in your career? Many professionals experience burn-out at some point, and some health professionals find it unbearable, prompting them to leave clinical medicine for a non-clinical career, or perhaps even leave healthcare altogether.
Many medical professionals I've worked with over the years have provided numerous ideas, which I've incorporated into an article with tips for handling job stress in the medical field. Recently, I spoke with a nurse who works in an ER and in a NICU, two very stressful environments. She shared her stories of trauma victims and young babies who are very sick, some of whom don't survive. She said that her employer (the hospital) has a very strong mental health department with counselors who are wonderful at helping to process trauma so that it doesn't affect the professional or other patients.
Additionally, this particular nurse shared with me that she created her own stress-busting routine with the help of her family. She said that she sets aside about 20 minutes when she gets home to decompress - and her family knows she is off-limits during that time - no calls, no talking to her, no expectations of her. After the 20 minutes is over, she is ready to be fully engaged with her husband and two daughters without the stress of her job affecting her family time. What's your de-stressing routine?
More on handling stress:
How to Handle Stress and Prevent Burn-out in Your Medical Career
About.com Guide to Stress
Causes and Cures for Job Stress
Understanding Stress in the Workplace
Dealing with Job Stress and Burn-outSource: www.about.com
View this post on my blog: http://travelnursesuccess.com/dealing-with-job-stress-and-burn-out
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