Being a medical assistant can be rewarding and satisfying, however it can be emotionally challenging as well. Taking care of sick and injured patients, falling behind on administrative duties or just feeling plain overworked on some days can be taxing, which can bring on times of stress. Learning how to manage job related stress is key in order to avoid any long-term effects that stress can cause.
Overloaded Hectic Work Schedules
An average workday at a busy practice with a full schedule can get quite hectic. A physician normally keeps a daily agenda of scheduled appointments while also allotting additional time for those patients who show up unexpectedly due to urgent circumstances.
Unexpected scheduling problems, especially in an ambulatory care setting, are all too common. There are many situations that could disrupt a carefully planned schedule such as an unforeseen absence of a physician, a patient taking longer than expected or a medical emergency. As a result, patients may become frustrated at having to wait longer to see the doctor. Having to deal with a difficult patient is only going to add more stress to an already hectic day.
Chances are most workdays are going to be fast-paced, particularly if you have to multi-task both administrative duties and clinical duties. Juggling too many tasks at the same time more often than not results in stress filled days.
Medical Emergencies
As a medical assistant, no matter what medical specialty you work in, chances are you will need to administer emergency care to a patient at some time during your career. Despite being trained and prepared for such emergencies, it can be quite stressful to have to perform emergency procedures on a very ill or injured patient. In emergency patient care emotions tend to run high and coping with these urgent situations can take an emotional toll on you.
If you find that you are having difficulty dealing with a stressful patient care incident, seek counseling from a trained professional immediately to prevent or limit any post-traumatic stress that may occur. Your employer should have some form of critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) counseling available. Ask them for information on CISD if assistance is needed in coping with stress brought on from a patient care emergency.
Difficult Patients
Working in health care, you will come across a wide gamut of personalities and dealing with them can be quite challenging. Having to wait too long to see the doctor, feeling sick or being in pain, an unforeseen medical diagnosis or financial difficulties in paying for medical services may be one of many reasons why patients may display unpleasant behavior. Some patients are just going to be demanding, rude or hard to please. Dealing with difficult patients is stressful. Keep calm and don’t take anything personal. Just do your best to keep your patients feeling at ease.
There may be instances where you will likely befriend some of your patients, in particular those who come in more than a few times a week or month for treatment. You may take a personal interest in your patient’s well-being and treatment, especially if you are a clinical medical assistant who takes an active role in their care. As such, it may become emotionally difficult to care for those patients whom you’ve become close to that are experiencing chronic or fatal medical conditions. Over time, this emotional bond that health care practitioners often feel for their patients may become a source of mental stress.
Identifying and Coping with Stress
Too much stress or long periods of stress will have adverse affects both physically and emotionally. Symptoms include headaches, increased blood pressure, difficulty sleeping, appetite changes, exhaustion and irritability. Occasional stress in the work place is to be expected. However, if you’re constantly feeling anxious, tense or worried or experiencing other stress-related symptoms, it’s highly likely you are over stressed.
Here are some things you can do to help reduce and cope with work-related stress.
- Get plenty of rest and eat balanced healthy meals.
- Dress appropriately, but comfortably. Avoid tight clothing or shoes.
- Arrive to work early to review patient charts and to make sure that each exam room is equipped and ready.
- Prioritize tasks; when possible do the most difficult task early in the day.
- Take morning and afternoon breaks, even if only five or ten minutes. Perhaps do a quick meditation or deep breathing exercises to help you relax and clear your head.
- If possible, spend your lunch hour away from the office.
- Review the appointment schedule for the next day and pull charts before leaving for the day.
- Learn to laugh at life’s small problems as well as yourself.
Even though as a medical assistant you’ve been trained to look after the care of others, don’t neglect yourself in the process. As soon as you realize that you are experiencing symptoms of work-related stress, talk to your employer about it. Be open and communicative and work together to find solutions that will make your job as a medical assistant less stressful and more easily managed.