For every great, balanced job that candidates are willing to battle over, there is a job that no one wants to touch with a 10 foot pole. We have previously covered the 2023 rankings of multiple medical professions, including specialties such as physical therapists and advanced practitioners, but, now, we are going to look at the most stressful traits to see in a healthcare job and how to destress after experiencing them.
Most Stressful Traits of Healthcare Jobs
Thankless work
Healthcare work is considered one of the most thankless jobs in the US. In moments of need, we call practitioners ‘unsung heroes’, but, when the moment has passed, they go back to being in the background.
Patient death
Not every healthcare practitioner will deal directly with a patient’s death, but many do get directly involved in the lives of their patients. Not every patient gets a happy ending and some endings may come more abruptly than expected, leaving people shocked and numb. While others get to feel and grieve, healthcare practitioners often have to move forward to their next patient with little to no pause.
Physically stressful
Whether you are running around an emergency room or monitoring lab work, healthcare is a physically strenuous profession. If your cardio isn’t being tested, your muscles can be when having to assist with patients or heavy equipment. Your reflexes and senses are always on high alert as well, which can lead to sensory burnout.
Compassion Fatigue
It seems counterintuitive to say that you are tired of being compassionate, but even the most empathetic of people have a breaking point. When you have seen, felt, or heard too many things that stress your emotions, to desire to be compassionate, to be involved and helpful beyond your basic requirements can easily go away.
Empty Victories
Healthcare is full of empty victories. When hospitals are overrun and understaffed and marginalized groups face growing issues, healthcare workers may look around and feel as if the work they are doing is simply not making a dent in the larger scale of it all. While the work practitioners do is vital and important to individuals, taking a step back to look at the bigger numbers can make it feel less so.
Recovering from the Stress
When a job has you dealing with situations like these, it is imperative to address the stress to avoid burnout. While everyone has individual ways to destress, consider adding some of these to your routine if you feel uninspired or overwhelmed.
Playing Games
Sometimes, the best way to cope is by letting your brain shut off. Video games are great for this! There are many tricky puzzle games that might stress you out even more, but there are also plenty of enticing and calming games that can give your mind time and space to process all that has happened without you feeling overwhelmed.
Take Mental Health Days
While paid time off (PTO) is considered a valuable resource in the US, that does not mean that it can only be used for big vacations or events. Set some time aside to spend with yourself, relaxing and enjoying life outside of work. Mental health days are days set aside for you to call on when you are too occupied to take it all in on your normal off time.
Between exercising, listening to emotional music, and therapy, there are plenty of other long-established practices to help you relieve stress, but no one can do it for you.
If you are looking for the opportunity to find some of the best jobs in healthcare and avoid roles with these pitfalls, then check out our job page here. If you are looking for something different than what we have posted, then send us an updated resume here and connect with a dedicated recruiter today!
