Taking a step back to watch the way home infusion pharmacy works and the workings in my office alone still amazes me. The level of communication, teamwork, and timeliness required and it all coming together and actually working wows me. You have to understand, I didn’t even know the position existed or what it was when I first applied (which I won’t get into at the moment),so actually being in it and doing well (so I think lol) is so funny to me. But all of that doesn’t make it easy or without stress. And that’s where all of this comes into play; managing stress on the job.
It’s very common for people to experience stress on the job, but a good amount of that stress can be eliminated in my opinion. On a basic level, I categorize stress as naturally occurring and self-induced. The difference between the two is that you can’t control the naturally occurring stress, but you can the self-induced. Naturally occurring may result from your immediate and natural reaction to events, even though once you calm down, this stress may be controlled. Self-induced stress can be brought on by thoughts, reactions towards other actions, taking on more responsibility than one can handle, and impatience. Notice how the latter presents things you have the ability to control. Common reasons for stress on the job include being new and living up to expectations, meeting demands and deadlines, challenging projects, etc.
Reasons Stress May (Actually Does IMO) Occur In My Position
As clinical home infusion pharmacists where I work, we are capable of doing every position in the building (except nursing but that doesn’t count because they aren’t stationed in the building unless scheduled to see a patient there. They’re in the field), so that means we should be able to answer all questions or figure out how to.
– We are the most senior position (minus management).
When issues arise in house, everyone looks to the pharmacists to handle them. It could be an alarm going off in the building, and a pharmacist will get notified.
– We are the issue solvers
All the way down to pump malfunctions and trouble shooting. I get supply and equipment issues and questionsall the time and end up having to do research because I’m not a nurse so I’m not in the home setting up and handling these items EVER. But yet, I’m the go to.
– We’re the main point of contact for patients. If it wasn’t for our wonderful receptionists triaging calls so well, we’d never have time to get anything done because we’d be on the phone all day dealing with issues that could be dealt with by others. Examples: ordering supplies, where/when is my delivery coming
How to Handle Stress on the Job
1. Remain professional
with responses, attitude, etc. Keep it together. Being stressed and overwhelmed is not an excuse to snap EVER. Being able to do this is actually a sign of control. If you can control your attitude and tongue, there is a chance that you can control your thoughts to help alleviate and/or avoid stress.
Check out “What is Professionalsim & How to Implement it Daily“
2. Remember you can only control what you can control
Don’t add unwanted stress by worrying about things you cant do anything about anyway.
3. Delegate when possible.
It may not always be an option, but when it is use it. Don’t overwork yourself. Let the team be just that, your team. And always be confident in firm in your requests and responses. Don’t get walked over.
4. Know your stressors
Specifically your work stressors. Be aware of the signs that you’re actively stressing and what helps avoid and/orcontrol them.
A sign I’m stressing is tensing up. I didn’t even realize I was doing it until the area over top of my shoulders hurt terribly when I got home or towards the end of the day. It’s not much of a problem now because I know when I’mentering a stressful situation or when one can get stressful and am able to not let it get that way based on knowing it’s a possibility.
Manage/Cope: When I do feel myself tensing up I take a deep breath, relax, and slow down.
Sometimes you may need to take a break altogether, which may not seem like the greatest idea in the thick of it, but you’re more productive when your less tensed and stressed.
Avoid: To avoid stressing altogether I stay relaxed, remain organized, and avoid over exerting.
5. Remember its not about you
Everyone’s just trying to do their job. They might have come at you sideways. No, it’s not okay, but don’t hold it against them forever. Now it’s always a hassle working with that person because you took something personal when they were just cracking under pressure (because they hadn’t read this lol). Plus, you don’t get paid to prove to people that they got the wrong one and that you the one, not the two so they gone learn today. If it gets to be too out of hand, go ahead and escalate that.
In Real life
Initially I wasn’t working full time. I turned it down the first time it was offered but accepted the second time because… why not. It definitely keeps me out of the stores and from shopping because that’s pretty much all I did on my off days. My biggest concern about going full time was stress. Everybody around me, except a few people seemed so stressed. I told myself I had to be in control and couldn’t allow that if I was going to accept the full-time position, and I’ve done very well at it. I guess being aware of the possibility of being stressed out, what I thought it looked like, and not wanting that for myself is what helps me avoid it so well.
In my office, I work one of the busiest teams that also requires the most paperwork, which is why there’s two of us. My stress used to come from having to run my team alone for a long period of time until my partner came in, which varies. On our on-call days we come in late, so the day she was on call would be my stressful day. And don’t let it be her weekend because we come in even later when we’re covering a weekend. It’d only be 3 to 4 hours but so much can happen in that time span that holds you up (pump issues, supply and equipment issues/questions, patient questions, etc.). Coming in in the morning I would be overexerting and doing the most trying to make sure everything was getting taken care of. It didn’t take me long to realize how to fix it. Steps 2 and 3 from above really helped me put things into perspective as far as my position and where I stand in my workplace, but step 5 keeps me a team player.
• Remaining organized with a system and to-do list allows me to jump from one task to the next with the confidence that I won’t miss anything.
• Keeping the mindset of “I’ll get to it,” of course giving STAT things priority, and remembering I run the show allows me to keep control and not overpromise.
Its important to be honest and logical with turnaround times and what can and can’t be done.
• Being confident and firm allows me to say “no” with ease and stick to the turnaround times I provide.
“No, this won’t make it to the hospital for a hook up by 12. It can make 3.” I can’t tell you how many times I give a logical time based on the happenings on my end and get, “is there any way possible it can be earlier?” Like I don’t know if we’re short staffed or backed up for whatever reason here. Don’t set yourself up trying to appease someone else. If it’s a no, it’s a no.
• Remembering I can only control what I can control allows me to avoid unnecessary stress. Using the example from earlier, responding with theupdate, “That delivery will no longer make it to the hospital by 3. It will now be a by 5 delivery.” Yea that seems like a big difference when they originally wanted it by 12 and I told them 3, but I’m also not the one mixing the drug or boxing it. If there are hold ups in areas other than my own, there is nothing I or anyone else can do. Of course, we don’t want this and strive to avoid situations like this, but they happen. And can more easily be resolved when you’re honest about them.
• And knowing that every concern that happens before my partner arrives doesn’t have to be handled before she gets in. Teamwork makes the dream work.
All the demands and responsibilities that come with your job, along with the people you work with can cause much stress on the job. But remember you’re not only there for a purpose, but because you have to be. And yes, I said because you have to be. If you didn’t, you’d leave. I admit that I prioritize my quality of life very heavily, but I am well aware of the fact that if I don’t work, I don’t eat. I do think that my generation and those that follow expect a lot of their employers as if it’s owed to them and are quick to leave with no other plan in place because they feel entitled. But that’s not what this is about.
At the end of the day, everyone is just trying to do their job, and everyone’s part is integral to the end goal. You work the job every day. Might as well make it as stressless as possible. Start everyday with the mindset that there will be no to low stress.
Outside of how it makes you feel, stress is not healthy for the body. There’s also a chance that we can bring it home, it affect our personal lives, and make the stress more of a problem.
Check out “1 Thing You Didn’t Know You Need To Be Doing Every Day & Why” for a way to help relieve stress.
The most important step for handling stress on the job is realizing that it exists. Some people think that its normal and that its what comes along with their day to day work. But that isn’t the case, and it can be managed. Eliminate stress on the job.
And remember…
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