The healthcare environment is tough right now – more than it ever has been before.
I’ve been hearing from MRTs, assistants and the radiology community – we are getting stressed and fed up. With society, politics and our work environments (increased workloads, lack of managerial support and increased patient reactivity) we are frustrated and overwhelmed. It’s affecting not just our work but other aspects of life as well.
So, what can we do?
What’s the solution?
We have to work…right?
There are a few things that have really helped me, and I’d like to share a couple of them with you.
1. Remember your why. Why did you become an MRT?
Even if this wasn’t the entire reason why you became an MRT – caring about others probably played a part. Start getting back to enjoying that aspect of the job again. Aim for that level of patient care and technical standards that makes you feel good. Remember it’s YOU who gets the best images for your patients so they can get the diagnosis and answers they need-nobody else has the training and patient care skills that you do. Start using those skills again. Remember how good it feels when you complete the exam with the patient feeling they got the best care and you technically completed it magnificently. Remember also that some patients surprise you and can actually say or do something that will make your day, even turn a bad day around.
2. You have the power to not let what is going in your clinic/hospital affect you. You may want to read that again. You need to ask yourself a few things: Is what’s frustrating you affecting you directly? If not, why are you letting yourself get so riled up? Remember the old adage ‘pick your battles.’ You know I speaking the truth when I say tomorrow something else will come up and the next day, and the next…can you maintain that level of stress you have every time something comes up-emotionally or physically? No. So look at it and ask yourself these questions:
Does it affect you directly?
Will it affect your day to day dealings with patients or your procedures?
If not…you must let it go. Continue to do the best for your patients.
Because of an MRT, aka healthcare professional’s nature, we may get upset for other people on our team. We take things on that don’t directly affect us. Now, I know this is harsh but with the environment we are working in right now we need to protect our health, our mental well being, and yes, that means being choosey on what we get worked up about. Now I’m not saying don’t support your co-workers, but you have to learn to not take on every battle as your own.
I want you to Ask yourself these questions:
- If I get upset will it affect my ability to do my job? Does it directly affect me right now that I should stress about what I have absolutely no control over?2. Do I have the immediate and direct ability to change the perceived offense right now (or in the future)?
Now hear me out, one last time. If you are walking down the hall and hear something that is coming down from your organization, and it is upsetting remember this – you are in control of how it affects you. You can take it personally or as an affront to everyone who works for the company (and it may be) but knowing the environment you are in is it going to be in your benefit to allow it to affect you so adversely?
Helpful tip – don’t participate in gossip or be involved in groups talking bad/venting about things and keep your thoughts to yourself. Avoid the drama, make your own decisions, and determine for yourself how you are going to feel about things.
I am of the belief to go above and beyond, work hard, and it will be noticed and appreciated by those in the organization and especially my co-workers & patients. I still do. But right now, to protect myself I have to know what the job description is, know what’s expected of me and make sure I’m performing the best I can for myself, patients and my co-workers/team.
I can hear you right now…its not that easy, I can’t just turn my emotions off. I didn’t say it was easy, but once you are aware you may just be able to make that shift so you aren’t getting worked up and upset every time it happens.
Journaling helps immensely. Here are some prompts to help: Write out what you heard. How you reacted. Ask yourself why you reacted that way, and can you think of a better reaction/solution so you can better handle a similar event in the future?
I hope this helps. Stay Strong.