When we are most vulnerable, we find ourselves utterly dependent upon you. From being a nurse present aiding in delivering their first child to assisting in caring for their baby as a social worker, you are on the frontlines fighting for our lives as health care providers. Healthcare providers do the dirty work. You go to work day in and day out, giving your fellow man or woman your best. Being in such a heroic line of work can be an exhausting career for every aspect of your personality. Surprisingly, even though you are saving lives and promoting the well-being of others, you have completely forgotten about your health, primarily your stress levels.
As found by a nationwide questionnaire that surveyed 3.211 workers from various industries, it was reported that employees experienced high stress in their jobs. In the healthcare industry, 69% of workers stated feelings of work-related stress. Also found in this survey, the workload of healthcare workers has increased. It was also reported that 25% of medical personnel plan to change careers.
With such an alarming amount of information supporting the high-stress levels of a healthcare provider’s daily workload, it is hard to understand why many individuals continue to pursue careers in such fields. However, you did not choose to walk down this career path expecting to stop and smell the roses. Knowing that becoming a healthcare provider would be a road filled with bumps and trials, you answered a special calling.
Let’s discuss ways to manage work-related stress, re-energize yourself, and remember why you love what you do.
Confide in Someone
Whether you are dealing with the death of a patient or the children of a broken home, it can be very stressful to shoulder these situations alone. Finding someone you trust with your emotions is healthy to release the grief or frustrations to prevent them from building up over time.
Combat Compassion Fatigue
Compassion fatigue is known as the stress of caring too much. For those experiencing such weariness, it can trigger personal issues such as depression if not dealt with immediately. Some strategies to handle compassion fatigue include surrounding yourself with social support, expelling feelings of self-blame and fault, and contributing to the community or charitable events.
Engage in Stress Release Practices
We all know that healthcare providers work hectic schedules and do not usually leave room for extra activities. To de-stress from your day, create habitual practices that will lighten the burdens of your heart and mind. One way to do this is to participate in physical exercise. Just twenty minutes of getting your heart pumping can elevate your mood and relieve tension. In addition to training, practicing deep breathing techniques is a great way to ensure calmness and relieve stress.
Take Care of Your Business
Remember, after all running a practice is running a business. When your cash flow is low, hiring the wrong person, losing a good employee, or using faulty software are just a few ways to add stress to your life, so make sure you take care of the essential parts of running a successful business.
- Market Your Practice, picking the right medical practice marketing partner to take care of your medical business will help your practice grow. You must also consider a service like Patient-hook that lets patients find your routine and make an online appointment.
- Healthcare IT, ensure you have a partner that understands healthcare challenges, such as HIPAA, security risks, cloud computing, or best electronic health records.
- Revenue Cycle Management is always challenging to use in-house or outside billing services.
- Stay up to date on the latest healthcare news and healthcare regulations.
- Remember to do your job effectively; you must care for your health first.
Macra 101
