Healthcare workers worldwide deal with a lot of pressure that affects their physical and mental health. Two important terms to know are “stress” and “strain.”
While many people use these words interchangeably, they mean different things in the context of workplace health. Understanding the difference is key to finding ways to help healthcare professionals cope better.
This article will explain the differences, how they affect healthcare workers, and what can be done to help.
Stress vs. Strain
What is Stress?
Stress is a response to workplace pressures. These pressures can come from heavy workloads, challenging tasks, unclear job roles, or coworker conflicts. Stress isn’t just one thing; it can be good (eustress) or bad (distress). Good stress might motivate you, while bad stress can lead to negative feelings and health issues.
What is Strain?
Strain, on the other hand, is the result of stress. It refers to the negative effects that stress has on a person, like physical problems (such as back pain), mental health issues (like anxiety), or changes in behavior (like missing work). Strain is what happens when stress becomes overwhelming.
The Demand-Control Model
One helpful way to understand stress and strain is through the demand-control model created by psychologist Robert Karasek. This model shows that job strain happens when high job demands meet low control over how to do the job. Jobs can be categorized into four types:
- High-strain jobs: High demands, low control
- Active jobs: High demands, high control
- Low-strain jobs: Low demands, high control
- Passive jobs: Low demands, low control
Many healthcare jobs fall into the high-strain category, where workers face heavy demands but have little control over their work.
The Impact of Stress and Strain in Healthcare
- Prevalence of Stress
Research shows that many healthcare workers experience high levels of stress. For instance, a study in Cameroon found that about 58.62% of healthcare workers felt significant job strain. This highlights how common stress-related issues are in healthcare settings.
- Physical Effects of Strain
One major physical effect of strain is musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), like back or neck pain. In the same study, 86.21% of healthcare workers reported these issues, particularly in their lower backs and necks. Workers experiencing job strain were much more likely to develop these problems.
- Factors Contributing to Stress
Several factors contribute to the high stress levels in healthcare:
- Heavy Workloads: Many healthcare workers see more patients than they can handle. For example, over 65% of workers in the study managed at least 11 patients a day.
- Physical Demands: Lifting heavy objects often adds to physical stress. Nearly half of the workers reported carrying heavy loads.
- Limited Control: Workers often have little say in how they do their jobs, increasing their stress.
- Interpersonal Relationships: Conflicts with coworkers, lack of recognition, and tough patient interactions also add to the stress.
Effects of Strain and Stress on Health
Job strain can seriously impact both physical and mental health. It can lead to issues like:
- Physical Health Problems: Strain is linked to musculoskeletal disorders.
- Mental Health Issues: It can cause emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and burnout.
Job strain can also make it harder for workers to return to their jobs after getting sick, showing how seriously it can affect their lives.
Coping Strategies and Solutions for Stress and Strain
- Individual Coping Mechanisms
Healthcare workers employ various strategies to cope with workplace stress. These range from problem-solving approaches and maintaining positive attitudes to emotion-focused mechanisms. Research on occupational stress suggests that individual resilience plays a pivotal role in adopting healthy and adaptive coping strategies.
A study involving 211 managers found that personality traits influence individuals’ responses to occupational stressors. Some individuals may cope through substance use, while others employ more adaptive strategies. Understanding these individual differences is crucial for developing personalized stress management interventions.
- Organizational Interventions
To help healthcare workers with stress and strain, organizations can implement several strategies:
- Ergonomic Programs: To reduce physical strain.
- Workload Management: To avoid excessive time pressures.
- Increasing Control: Allowing workers more decision-making power.
- Improving Social Support: Building better support systems among coworkers.
- Recognition Programs: Ensuring workers feel valued for their efforts.
- Work Organization and Design
The organization and design of healthcare work significantly influence stress and strain levels. The literature suggests that high-strain jobs are characterized by “difficulty completing work in the required time” and inability to “perform the job as one wishes”. Redesigning work to provide greater control and reasonable workloads can help mitigate these challenges.
Flexible work arrangements and technology integration offer potential pathways for improving work conditions.
Read more on: How Future Healthcare Technology is Elevating At-Home Care
How HosTalky Eases Stress and Strain in Healthcare Professionals
HosTalky is a healthcare communication app that directly addresses many factors contributing to stress and strain in healthcare environments.
1. Improved Communication = Reduced Stress
Effective communication is essential in any workplace, but especially critical in healthcare. HosTalky provides a secure, real-time chat platform for healthcare workers. With instant access to patient information, care plans, and updates, healthcare professionals can eliminate misunderstandings and reduce the stress of managing multiple communication channels.
2. Task Management = Reducing Overload
One of the primary sources of stress in healthcare is workload. HosTalky’s task management features help healthcare professionals stay organized by setting reminders, creating to-do lists, and managing appointments all in one place.
3. Better Work-Life Balance
Work-life balance is a significant issue for healthcare workers, leading to stress and burnout. HosTalky allows healthcare professionals to streamline their work processes by reducing the time spent managing communications and tasks.
4. Enhanced Collaboration = Supportive Work Environment
HosTalky fosters a collaborative environment by allowing all team members to stay connected, share important updates, and work together more efficiently. Inclusivity and respect through features like CareID allow users to personalize their profiles with preferred pronouns.
5. Reducing the Mental Toll
Emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and burnout are common among healthcare workers. HosTalky can help reduce the mental toll of healthcare work. The app helps healthcare professionals stay focused and organized, allowing them to better manage their job’s emotional demands.
For more information, read this: HosTalky: All-in-One Communication App
Conclusion
Understanding the difference between stress and strain is essential for addressing healthcare workers’ challenges. Stress is the pressure they experience, while strain is the harmful effect that stress can cause.
Many healthcare workers experience high strain levels due to their demanding jobs and limited control. Implementing targeted strategies that address both individual coping skills and organizational factors is essential to supporting these healthcare professionals.
