Pearls of wisdom: using the single case study or ‘gem’ to identify strategies for mediating stress and work-life imbalance in healthcare staff

Abstract

Background

The growing levels of stress and work-life imbalance reported in contemporary health and social care arenas in the UK can be linked to the neoliberal principles driving performance and intensification in the workforce. These pressures are an area of concern in terms of staff health and wellbeing and the impact of these on the care and compassion of patients/service users.

Aims

This paper reports on a single case study that was part of a wider interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) that aimed to explore the levels of stress and work-life imbalance experienced by occupational therapists working in health and social-care sectors in Wales in the UK.

Methods

Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used as both an approach and tool of analysis. The use of the single case study and gem as a tool in IPA to pique interest and promote further investigation is also explicated.

Results

Identified four key strategies that underpinned an approach to mediating stress and work-life balance for staff in the workplace. These were: a sense of choice and autonomy over workloads and decision-making; congruence with family values; supportive workplace attitudes and expectations of others; and finally, that the ability to reconcile conflicts i.e. integrate or harmonise them with personal values, as opposed to holding a sense of compromise marked by concession or loss, can address cognitive and emotional dissonance.

Conclusions

The existing constructs to support the health and wellbeing of staff in health and social-care settings are ineffective. These strategies offer tools to address this and successfully promote a sense of personal integrity and meaning in life. In turn, this can achieve and sustain a more resilient workforce providing the positive energy needed to be caring and compassionate in their practice.