In Your Workplace

Returning to work after Christmas, I am feeling anxious, irritable and impatient with others. My caseload has increased, but my community nurse colleagues seem so much more able to cope and more committed to their jobs. Am I in the wrong career?

Let me assure you,this is not a reflection on your nursing vocation. It is more likely that you are experiencing stress. Stress is one of the main reasons for absence in the NHS. In last year's NHS survey, 30 per cent of NHS staff reported suffering from some form of stress.

We all work under some level of pressure, but pressure turns into stress when we feel unable to cope. We all have different ways of reacting to stress, so a situation that feels stressful to one person may be motivating to someone else.