Coping with Stress in the Health Professions: A practical guide (Therapy in Practice Series) - Softcover

Burnard, Philip

Softcover

ISBN 10: 041238910X ISBN 13: 9780412389108

Publisher: Springer, 1991

Synopsis

Stress is a feature of all of our lives. The business of working in the health professions means that we are constantly being exposed to stress. That stress can sometimes be enriching and motivating. It has often been pointed out that stress can be positive or nega­ tive. When stress is positive, it rarely needs any further attention. When it is negative, it is a problem. The first aim of this book is to discuss the various sorts of stress that may be experienced by a variety of health professionals, including social workers, nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, occu­ pational therapists and others. What they all have in common is that they work closely with other people - people who often have emotional problems or problems in living. Working with other people who are troubled in this way is indeed stressful. For too long it has been assumed that health professionals should 'get on with it' and put up with any stress that is involved in caring for others. The second aim of this book is to offer practical ways of coping with negative stress. These methods range from simple relaxation techniques, through meditation to methods that involve discussing stress with others: counselling, co-counselling and group work. All the methods described in this book have been used with a variety of health professionals, and not all of these methods will necessarily appeal to you. One of the fundamental points about stress is that it tends to affect each individual idiosyncratically.

About this title

Synopsis

Everyone working in the health professions is subject to job-related stress. This practical book offers a variety of ways of learning to cope with stress in health care. It offers a theoretical overview of the topic and then a series of coping strategies ranging from problem solving and relaxation to meditation, counselling and supervison. The book is well-illustrated with short checklists of practical ways of dealing with stress in the health professional's personal and professional life. It also has an extensive bibliography which guides the reader to a more detailed study of the research and theory of stress. There are case studies and examples from the range of health professions that illustrate how to use and benefit from the ideas in the book. This book should be a useful handbook for medical staff, nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, social workers and anyone concerned with other people's health. Students, practitioners and managers should find it a useful source of day-to-day help with coping with stress.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 1991
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 041238910X
• ISBN 13: 9780412389108
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 208