Emergency Department Workers Face High Stress, Burnout

(Reuters Health) – - Emergency department workers face high job stress, but there is little effort to relieve their suffering, researchers say. A review of past research on doctors, nurses and other staff in emergency departments (ED) found plenty of sources of stress, but only a handful of studies on interventions to offset the constant strain. “Emergency department staff experience high volumes of work, and have to make quick decisions under pressure which carry a significant burden of responsibility,” said lead author Subhashis Basu of the University of Sheffield in England. “Excessive stress may result in poor physical and psychological health; loss of job satisfaction and workers leaving their profession,” Basu told Reuters Health by email. Stress-heavy workplaces may be less productive and have more staff turnover, he added. To investigate the main causes of work stress in the ED and any trials of methods to combat that stress, the study team reviewed 25 studies found on health databases and Google Scholar. Many studies mentioned high work volume and long hours, as well as having little control over work, as sources of stress for ED workers. Some studies also emphasized that workers may have more stress because they don’t receive enough support at work, are not paid enough and are not adequately recognized for their work. The researchers also found that compassion fatigue, a type of overload that results in having less concern or empa...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news