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chapter 13 | Work-Related Stress and Burnout 211 CikguOnline
Reframing box 13-7
Reframing is looking at a situation in many differ- Coping With Daily Work Stress
ent ways. When you can reframe stressful situa- Spend time on outside interests, and take time for yourself.
tions, they often become less stressful or at least Increase professional knowledge.
more understandable. If you have an extremely Identify problem-solving resources.
heavy workday and believe it is due to the fact that Identify realistic expectations for your position. Make sure
your nurse manager created it for personal reasons, you understand what is expected of you; ask questions if
the day becomes much more stressful than if anything is unclear.
you realize that, unfortunately, all institutions are Assess the rewards your work can realistically deliver.
short-staffed. Develop good communication skills, and treat coworkers
with respect.
Humor Join rap sessions with coworkers. Be part of the solution,
Laughter relieves tension. Humor is a good way to not part of the problem.
reduce stress both for yourself and your patients. Do not exceed your limits—you do not always have to say
yes.
Remember, however, that humor is very individual,
Deal with other people’s anger by asking yourself, “Whose
and what may be funny to you may be hurtful to
problem is this?”
your patient or coworker.
Recognize that you can teach other people how to treat you.
Social Support
Much research has been done to show that the box 13-8
presence of social support and the quality of rela-
Keys to Physical and Mental Health
tionships can significantly influence how quickly
Management
people become ill and how quickly they recover. A
Deep breathing
sense of belonging and community,an environment
Posture
where people believe they can share their feelings
Rest
without fear of condemnation or ridicule, helps to
Relaxation
maintain a sense of well-being. Having friends
Nutrition
with whom to share hopes, dreams, fears, and con-
Exercise
cerns and with whom to laugh and cry is para-
Realistic expectations
mount to mental health and stress management. In
Reframing
the work environment, coworkers who are trusted
Humor
and respected become part of social support sys-
Social support
tems (Wolinski, 1993). Box 13-7 lists some addi-
tional tips for coping with work stress.
Nurses are professional caregivers. Many years Organizational Approaches to Job Stress
ago, Carl Rogers (1977) said that you cannot care
The nursing shortage phenomenon has cause many
for others until you have taken care of yourself.The
organizations to address issues of stress on the
word selfish may bring to mind someone who is
job as a method of recruitment and retention.
greedy, self-centered, and egotistical; however, to
take care of yourself you have to become creatively Organizational change and stress management are
useful approaches for preventing stress at work.
selfish. Learn to nurture yourself so that you will be
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and
better able to nurture others.
Health has identified factors that lead to a healthy,
Stress reduction, relaxation techniques, exercise,
low-stress workplace (Judkins, Reid, & Furlow,
and good nutrition are all helpful in keeping ener-
2006; Sauter et al., 1999):
gy levels high. Although they can prepare people to
cope with the stresses of a job, they are not solu- ■ Employee recognition for performance
tions to the conflicts that lead to reality shock and ■ Opportunities for career development
burnout. It is more effective to resolve the problem ■ An organizational culture that values the
than to treat the symptoms (Lee & Ashforth, individual
1993). Box 13-8 lists the keys already discussed to ■ Management decisions that are aligned with
physical and mental health management. organizational values