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176 Healthcare: Workplace Stress and Violence
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Possible Solutions

There are many solutions to help prevent stress among hospital staff, including, educate employees and management about job stress and establish programs to address workplace stress, such as:

  • An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can improve the ability of workers to cope with difficult work situations. Stress management programs teach workers about the nature and sources of stress, the effects of stress on health, and personal skills to reduce stress (e.g., time management or relaxation exercises).
There are many solutions to help prevent stress among hospital staff.
  • Organizational Change Programs change hospital policies and procedures to reduce organizational sources of stress. Employers may want to bring in a consultant to recommend ways to improve working conditions. This approach is the most direct way to reduce stress at work. It involves the identification of stressful aspects of work (e.g., excessive workload, conflicting expectations) and the design of strategies to reduce or eliminate the identified stressors. Some strategies include:
    • Ensure that the workload is in line with workers' capabilities and resources.
    • Design jobs to provide meaning, stimulation, and opportunities for workers to use their skills.
    • Clearly define workers' roles and responsibilities.
    • Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting their jobs.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

2-7. Which of the following can improve the ability of workers to cope with difficult work situations?