CASESTUDY2

Louise Damiani's work isanemotional roller coaster most days. The oncology nurse atCentraStateHealthcareSysteminFreeholdTownship,NewJersey,soarswithjoy aspatientsbeattheircancerintoremission.Thentherearethelowpointswhenoneofherpatientsisgivengrimnewsabouthisorhercancer.Shealsobattleswiththefrustrationofofficepolitics.

Butevenafteralongshift,Damianidoesn'tlet hernegativeemotionssurfaceuntilshegetsintohercarandheadshome."Youhavetolearnhowtopickandchooseandnotbring thatemotionup," Damianiadvises."Yousay,'OK,Icandealwiththis.Icanfocusonthepriority,andthepriorityis thepatient.'"

Aswellasmanagingherownemotions,Damianihasmasteredthe skillofcreatingpositiveemotionsinothers.Sherecentlyreceivedan awardin recognitionofherextraordinarysensitivitytowardpatients'needsand concerns.Forexample,oneof Damiani'spatientswantedtoreturntoher nativeMexicobut,withanadvanced stageofcancer,suchajourneywasn'tpossible. Instead,Damiani brought "Mexico" tothehospitalbytransforming avisitors'loungeintoafiesta-typesettingandinvitingthepatient's family, friends,andhospitalstafftoattendthespecialevent.

LisaSalvatore,a chargenurseattherecentlybuiltLeonS.PetersBurnCenterinFresno,California,alsorecognizesthatherjobinvolvessupportingpatients'emotionalneeds,notjusttheirphysicalproblems."Withburns,youdon'tjusttreatsomethingontheoutside,"shesays."Youtreatsomethingontheinsidethatyoucan'tsee."Salvatorealsoexperiencesthefullrangeofemotions,includingtheurgency ofgettingburnpatientsoutofemergencywithinanhourtoimprovetheirprospectsofrecovery."Ilikehighstress.Ilike trauma,"shesays.Still,sheacknowledgestheemotionalchallengesof treatingchildrenwith burns."IdealwithitandthenIcryalltheway home.I justsobonmyway driving home."

AnilShandil,a medicfromthe328thCombatSupportHospitalinFortDouglas,Utah,haswitnessedmoresevereburnsandinjuriesthanmostmedicalprofessionals.For twoyearsat theLandstuhlArmyRegionalMedicalCenterin Germany,heaidedsoldierswhohadbeenwoundedinIraqorAfghanistan.Thetour ofdutywasextremelyemotionallytaxing."Yougetalotofseveredlimbs,alotoftraumaticbraininjuries,alot ofdeathand dying,"saysShandil."Sothecompassionfatigueis ratherhigh."Peoplewhoworkcloselywithvictimsof traumaoftensuffercompassionfatigue,alsoknownassecondarytraumaticstressdisorder. Themainsymptomisadecreasingabilitytofeelcompassionforothers.

In spite of the risk of compassion fatigue, Shandil has volunteered for an even more challengingassignment.He and85 othersoldiersin the 328tharenowinIraqprovidingmedicalcare forIraqidetainees beingheldthere by theU.S.military.So,alongwithmanagingemotionsfromconstantexposuretotraumacases, these medics must also show respectful compassion tothose who fought against Americancomrades.Shandilknowsitwillbehard."Yes,thesearepeoplewhowerenotkindtous.Butasamedic,it'sourjobtocareforthem,nomatterif thatisyourfriendoryourenemy."

DiscussionQuestions

1. Towhatextentdothethreepeoplefeaturedinthiscasestudymanagetheirownemotionsonthejob?

Howdotheyaccomplishthis?Towhatextentdoyouthinktheyeffectivelymanageemotionsunderthesecircumstances?

2. Thiscasestudystatesthatnursesandothermedicalstaffneedtomanagetheemotionsoftheirpatients.

Whyisemotionsmanagementimportantinthisjob?Inwhatwaysdomedicalstaffaltertheemotionsoftheirpatients?

3. Stressismentionedthroughoutthiscasestudy.Howdoesthisstressoccur?Whatstressoutcomesoccurforpeopleinthesetypesofjobs?Howcanthesepeopletrytominimizehighlevelsofstress?