Full Description
Health care workers are burned out. Health care leaders know that workers are burned out, but do not yet have the right tools to fix the problem. Called to Care? argues that we can mitigate burnout by examining what is most meaningful about health care work. Using interviews and observation of a wide range of health care workers, Cain shows that workers who care for our most vulnerable adults find their work to be meaningful when they are able to connect to the work and make progress on something that matters. In most cases, these meaningful experiences are also consistent with better care for patients. And yet organizational practices, policy environments, and cultural meanings get in the way of meaningful work, creating burnout. But it doesn't have to be this way. Called to Care? illustrates that workplaces can and should align meaningful work experiences with quality care for patients.
Contents
Introduction
Part I: What is Meaningful Work?
Chapter 1: Seeking and Creating Connections in a Broken System
Chapter 2: Meaningful Progress, Situationally Defined
Chapter 3: Workplace Obstacles to Meaningful Work
Chapter 4: Cultural and Policy Obstacles to Meaningful Work
Part II: Possibilities for Meaning
Chapter 5: Unexpectedly Meaningful Work
Chapter 6: Centering Connections
Chapter 7: Expanding the Pursuit of Progress
Conclusion
Methodological Appendix
Acknowledgments
Bibliography
Index
