206 unit 3 | Professional Issues
Men often define themselves in terms of their sep-
arateness and their career progress; women are more
likely to define themselves through attachment and
connections with other people. Women who try to
focus on occupational achievement and pursue per-
sonal attachments at the same time are likely to
experience conflict in both their work and personal
lives. In addition, society evaluates the behaviors of
working adult men and women differently. “When
a man disrupts work for his family, he is considered
a good family man, while a woman disrupting work
for family risks having her professional commit-
ment questioned” (Borman, 1993, p. 1).
Closely tied to conflicting demands is the deci-
sion to come to work when ill. Nurses who come to
work when ill describe tension associated with
making this decision: tension between the nurse
and the supervisor, tension between the nurse and
the team members, and tension within the nurse
due to responsibilities to self and others. As you
move forward in your career, be proactive in work-
ing with team members and your supervisors in
helping yourself and others find balance in the
workplace (Crout, Change, & Cioffi, 2005).
Technology
Decisions related to changes in technology are
often made without input from employees. These
same employees are then required to adapt and
cope with the changes. How many of the following
changes have you had to adapt to: e-mail, voice
mail, fax machines, computerized charting, desktop
computers, cellular phones? Often, employees feel
that their role has become secondary to technology
(DeFrank & Ivancevich, 1998).
Lack of Balance in Life
When personal interests and satisfactions are lim-
ited to work, a person is more susceptible to
burnout; trouble at work becomes trouble with that
individual’s whole life. A job can become the center
of someone’s world, and that world can become
very small. Two ways out of this are to set limits on
the commitment to work and to expand the num-
ber of satisfying activities and relationships outside
of work.
Many people in the helping professions have dif-
ficulty setting limits on their commitment. This is
fine if they enjoy working extra hours and taking
calls at night and on weekends, but if it exhausts
them, then they need to stop doing it or risk serious
burnout. For example, when you are asked to work
another double shift or the third weekend in a row,
you can say no. At the same time as you are setting
limits at work, you can expand your outside activi-
ties so that you live in a large world in which a blow
to one part can be cushioned by support from other
parts. If you are the team leader or nurse manager,
you also need to recognize and accept staff mem-
bers’ need to do this as well. Ask yourself the follow-
ing questions:
■Do I exercise at least three times weekly?
■Do I have several close friends I see regularly?
■Do I have a plan for my life and career that I
have told someone about?
■Do I have strong spiritual values that I carry out
in practice regularly?
■Do I have some strong personal interests that I
regularly enjoy?
Studies have shown that the two best indicators of
customer satisfaction are related to employee satis-
faction and employee work-life balance. Well-
rounded employees have a different perspective on
life and are perceived by employers as more trust-
worthy and more grounded in reality. You do not
have to give up your personal life to excel in your
professional life (Farren, 1999).Consequences
Certain combinations of personal and organizational
factors can increase the likelihood of burnout.
Finding the right fit between your preferences and
the characteristics of the organization for which you
work can be keys to preventing burnout. Health
care demands adaptable, innovative, competent
employees who care about their patients, desire to
continue learning, and try to remain productive
despite constant challenges. Unfortunately, these are
the same individuals who are prone to burnout if
preventive action is not taken (Lickman, Simms, &
Greene, 1993; McGee-Cooper, 1993).
Burnout has financial, physical, emotional, and
social implications for the professional, the patients,
and the organization. Burnout can happen to any-
one, not just to people with a history of emotional
problems. In fact, it is not considered an emotional
disturbance in the sense that depression is; instead,
it is considered a reaction to sustained organization-
al stressors (Duquette, Sandhu, & Beaudet, 1994).
The shortage of professional nurses is predicted
to continue for at least another 10 years. Two of the