“In a high-volume clinic, you’re getting a constant inflow of requests for appointments, questions about health issues and complaints,” he says. “Patients want immediate responses, which puts us in the position of trying to juggle patient care, our resources, and sometimes their procrastination.’

“Some days, I could feel my blood pressure rising and heart pounding. I would come home angry and depressed. There’s a sense of hopelessness in trying to satisfy every patient and knowing you can never succeed.”

The stress experienced by healthcare clinicians and other workers on a daily basis is troubling in that long-lasting stress can significantly diminish quality of life and lead to chronic health issues. Stress manifests in several ways, including²:

Stress triggers the release of hormones – adrenaline and cortisol, to name a few – that set off a series of complex reactions within the body. To many, this is known as the “fight or flight response.” Respiratory rates increase, blood pressure elevates, glucose rises, heart rate variability declines, and blood flow is redirected to skeletal muscles.

On an immediate basis, these changes can increase alertness, focus, and motivation, but the wear and tear of prolonged stress can be harmful to many bodily functions:

The nervous system³: Stress has been shown to cause structural changes in the nervous system affecting memory, cognition, and learning. These changes can include loss of brain mass, reductions in the number of dendritic branches, and decreases in neurons. These effects have been linked to a reduction in spatial memory, weakening verbal memory, mood disorders, and decreases in reaction time.

The immune system³: The effect of stress on the immune system is well documented. Alterations in stress-related chemicals produced by the body can lead to imbalances in the immune system. Studies have shown that the adverse effects of these imbalances can suppress the immune system and heighten the disease risk. In the worst cases, this immune suppression can even lead to malignancies.

The cardiovascular system³: The occurrence of stress sets off a chain reaction throughout the cardiovascular system that can affect heart rate, heart contraction, and oxygen demand, instigate vasodilation and constriction of arteries and veins leading to major organs and alter sodium levels. This can result in changes in blood pressure and may put some people at risk for cardiovascular arrhythmias and heart attacks.

The digestive system³: People experiencing stress may notice changes in their appetite. Consuming too much or too little food can, in turn, affect a person’s quality of nutrition. Stress also directly impacts the function of the gastrointestinal (GI) system that extends to GI tract motility, absorption, secretions, inflammation, intestinal barrier permeability, and bacterial counts. This explains in part why stress is linked to disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, peptic ulcers, Crohn’s disease, and other GI diseases.
Of course, the actual effects of stress will vary with the intensity, duration, and an individual’s own genetic make-up and tolerance. But clearly, minimizing unnecessary stress should be a priority for every healthcare professional.

Of course, the actual effects of stress will vary with the intensity, duration, and an individual’s own genetic make-up and tolerance. But clearly, minimizing unnecessary stress should be a priority for every healthcare professional.