Managing Emotions and Stress in the Workplace essay

ManagingEmotions and Stress in the Workplace

ManagingEmotions and Stress in the Workplace

Howthe people in the Case Study manage their own emotions Stressmanagement is an essential aspect of every human being. Many peopleare faced with circumstances that expose them to stress, especiallyin places of work. The difference arises in the way one handles it.The nurses in the Case Study are effectively managing stress bykeeping their emotions away from the patients and only expressingthem when they are alone in their cars. This is effective in keepingthe patients comforted and encouraged. In order to lighten the spiritof the patients, the nurses have to be emotionally strong. LouiseDamiani of CentraState Healthcare System in Freehold Township, NewJersey is one of the most effective nurses in emotion management,having to deal with cancer patients. Even when she has to work longhours, she manages to keep her emotions masked until when she is inher car, heading home. The same case is with Lisa Salvatore of theLeon S, Peters Burn Center in Fresno, California who has to supportpatients with emotional needs and only sobs when she is in her carheading home. Anil Shandil from the 328^thCombat Support Hospital in Fort Douglas, Utah works in an even morestressful workplace where patients have brain injuries and severedlimbs. He admits that he ends up developing passion fatigue. Bykeeping these emotional strains away from the eyes of the patients,he effectively manages his emotions and ends up keeping the patientsencouraged (McShane &amp Von Glinow, 2013).

Managingemotions of patients The emotions of patients are importantin determining whether they heal quickly, slowly or do not heal atall. As mentioned in the Case Study therefore, it is important fornurses to manage the emotions of their patients. When the patient hasa low spirit, it takes longer to heal and feel better than when theyare encouraged and confident. It is the work of the nurse to makethem confident and encouraged. Just the way Damiani helped a cancerpatient who could not travel to her native Mexico by bringing“Mexico” to the hospital, nurses need to make the hospitalenvironment comfortable and homely to their patients (McShane &ampVon Glinow, 2013).

Stress Asmentioned in the Case Study, stress is part and parcel of the nursingcareer. When the nurses have to put aside their own emotions andfocus on those of the patients, they become stressed up. Thepractitioners who have to watch their patients die, and sometimeshave to care for patients who are their enemies, like Shandil aremore at risk of developing stress (McShane &amp Von Glinow, 2013).As a result of stress, nurses may end up losing their compassion forother people, become less effective in their jobs and become recklessin how they deal with their patients. To try and minimize high levelsof stress, the nurses and medical practitioners should find positiveways of expressing their emotions without having to suppress them forlong hours (Cartwright, &amp Cooper, 1997). One of the best ways isto share with their fellow staff members when they are on shortbreaks like breakfast or lunch. This can help them get it off theirshoulders. Another way is to avoid work overload by taking occasionalbreaks (McShane &amp Von Glinow, 2013).

References

Cartwright,S., &amp Cooper, C. L. (1997). Managing workplace stress. ThousandOaks, Ca: Sage.

McShane,S. L., &amp Von Glinow, M. A. (2013). Organizationalbehavior(6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin