What happens to the nurse when role stress or strain becomes too overwhelming? What happens to patient care? How is this related to possible ethic and legal issues? Discuss how nurses can manage or reduce role stress and role strain.

Consequences of Role Stress and Strain

Burnout stems from constant strain, and the consequences depend on the stage of the condition and the symptoms experienced by the individual. It is important to note that burnout symptoms can vary from mild malfunction to exhaustion. Nurses experience such burnout symptoms as low self-esteem, lack of faith, lack of job satisfaction, difficulty slowing down and enjoying life, and failure to maintain life in balance and make knowledgeable decisions (Friganović et al., 2017). Exhaustion is a sickness of overeagerness in which there is a continual drive to accomplish only the ideal outcome. The consequent nursing care might be defined as aloof, indifferent, and even degrading in terms of behavior.

A lack of support can also play a significant role in nurses suffering burnout, leading to higher absenteeism and lower motivation. As a result, insufficient support and assistance expose personnel issues as a source of stress (Friganović et al., 2017). Burnout and strain have interpersonal and social consequences since their symptoms are contagious and can influence coworkers. As people grow more irritated and short-tempered, their relationships may deteriorate. Furthermore, nurses who experience burnout or role strain may develop undesirable habits such as increased alcohol use or smoking.

Consequently, caregivers are hardly only innocent victims of unfavorable causes outside their control; they are also unintentional contributors to negative impacts due to their own views. The results of their behaviors caused by strain and burnout can lead to ethical and legal issues. Nurse emotional exhaustion frequently results in financial implications for the healthcare facility, the most noticeable of which are absent from work and decreased job competence (Friganović et al., 2017). Additionally, since the nursing staff is mainly focused on caregiving, there might be problems concerning proper attentiveness and thoroughness, the absence of which can debilitate the condition of the patient or lead to unfortunate outcomes.

Therefore, it is of utmost importance for the nurses to find support and assistance from either team, other professionals, or a circle of trusted people. Nursing staff must create a balance between work and life. Otherwise, an individual working in the nursing sphere will be subject to strain that can result in burnout. It is essential for nursing personnel to understand the consequences of their poor mental health that can result in accidents concerning the health and lives of patients.

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