Work Frustration

Feeling frustrated at work can be a very real and draining experience. But don't worry; there are plenty of things you can do to alleviate those negative feelings and bring a sense of calm and focus back to your work day.

One key is to appreciate that you are gainfully employed and have a job to do. It can be all too easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day frustrations, but taking a step back and acknowledging the value in what you do can be a powerful motivator. Another important step is to use your proper chain of command and be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

By doing these things and staying focused on your responsibilities, you'll be well on your way to conquering those feelings of frustration and having a more positive work day.

Wisconsin Hospital Sues to Stop Employees From Going to Competitor (Video)

A Wisconsin court has blocked seven healthcare workers from accepting jobs at another hospital to prevent them from leaving ThedaCare, an Appleton-based facility.

The decision was made after ThedaCare requested a restraining order against these personnel changes because it would lead to direct competition with their own services and offerings, as well as jeopardize their Tier 3 ranking if the employees left for Ascension Northeast Wisconsin. 

What would you think if the hospital you worked at sued to stop its employees from going to its competors? 

Hospital Burnout Before and After the Pandemic (Video)

Earlier this year, I made a video about why people were leaving the medical field. This article on Becker's Hospital Review basically reinforced what I was saying. Burnout did not start when the pandemic started; it was already there. 

Pre-pandemic healthcare had lowercase burnout and uppercase burnout. 

Uppercase burnout is the textbook term coined in 1974 by American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger, Ph.D., for the stress and exhaustion felt by those in service professions that make it tough to cope. In 2017, CEOs of the nation's most prominent health systems categorized burnout among physicians as a public health crisis and outlined an 11-step response. In 2019, the World Health Organization finally included burnout in its International Classification of Diseases, describing it as "a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed." Uppercase burnout is both a condition and a studied, well-known public health threat, like driving without a seatbelt. Read more here. 

Catching Hell as a Unit Secretary (Video)

One theme that I keep seeing in my YouTube channel's comment section is from new Unit Secretaries and their work frustrations.  

And I'm not talking about the usual stress of working at a hospital. I'm talking about the extra pettiness from other co-workers. 

After seeing one too many of them, I said to myself, "These new secretaries are catching hell."

So I made a video explaining why this may happen and what they can do about it. 

Watch the video above and feel free to add your comments below. 

Frustration at Work and the Health Unit Coordinator (Video)

Are you frustrated at work? You're not alone. In the video below, I share some of those tips.

I Don't Want To Be a Health Unit Coordinator Anymore

I've been feeling this way for some time now. Sometimes, I thought I was working too hard and was the only one working.

So, I had to ask and answer a few questions. Should I leave? No. Do I want to be here? Yes/No. Am I burnt out? No. Is my personal life interfering with my work life? No. Am I frustrated? Yes. Do I see the light at the end of the tunnel? Yes.

• Appreciate that you are gainfully employed, and I had to remind myself that I am gainfully employed and have been at this company for over six years.
• Update your resume. I updated my resume, and my former coworker called me about a job opening that her new employer had.  
• Change your schedule. I changed my work schedule and had been working for three years. Some people weren't happy and even questioned me about who would work that day. "Not me," is all I said.  
• Use your proper chain of command. A coworker is annoying, and most other employees can't stand her, but they tolerate her. I don't tolerate annoying people. I ignore them. And she doesn't like that, so I have to defend myself against her lies occasionally. And that's when I do my chain of command.  
• Take some time off. I've started scheduling my vacation every 12 weeks. Extra-long stretches of being inside of a hospital aren't healthy for me.  I love where I work, and some great things are in store, even though it is merging with another company. And after taking some time to myself, I realized I wanted to learn more. I feel stagnant. I'm too comfortable, and that's not me. I don't want to look up 20 years from now and have regrets. I decided to enroll in a class to enhance my medical secretary skills. I'm going to take advantage of evening classes. A coworker even told me they could see me running an office, not just a unit.

So, I realized that learning more doesn’t require me to leave. So all I have to do is freshen up on skills I already have, get out there, and just do it.