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This is not another flu season checklist…

This is about the flu season and what we’ve learned to tolerate. There are some numbers we’ve come to accept.

Like the number of nurses who call out during flu season.
Or the number of hours it takes to find coverage that doesn’t exist.
Or the number of children who die from an illness we know how to prevent.

Last season, that number was 216.¹

Two hundred and sixteen children.
Gone.
From the flu.

And the world, for the most part, kept moving.

We’ve learned to tolerate too much.

We tolerate the annual scramble to fill schedules when the first wave hits.
We tolerate staff pushing through symptoms to avoid letting down their teams.
We tolerate burnout, moral distress, and quiet exits.

We tolerate death. Not in a dramatic, headline-grabbing way, but in the quiet way healthcare often absorbs grief: silently, and without pause.

Because flu season doesn’t stop for grief.
It barely pauses for breath.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to carry the next season on your own. Let’s build a flu coverage plan together 

This isn’t about the flu.

It’s about the way we’ve structured care and what that structure asks of us.

It’s about the way we plan for crisis in spreadsheets but experience it in hallways.
It’s about what happens when being overwhelmed is normal and being short-staffed is expected.
It’s about the quiet math we do when we realize that someone has to be left waiting (and it won’t be the virus.)

And it’s about the emotional cost of doing this year after year.

We knew flu season was coming.

It always comes.
It always strains the system.
And every time, we treat it like an unpredictable event.

Not because we’re incompetent.
But because we’re carrying too much already.
Because we’ve created a system that only reacts and punishes those who try to pause.

Maybe this year, the pause isn’t optional. Maybe it’s the start of a better plan. 👉 Talk to our team about your staffing goals

We talk a lot about resilience.

But what we really need to talk about is capacity.
Capacity to prepare.
Capacity to reflect.
Capacity to do more than just “get through it.”

Because resilience without capacity is just endurance.
And endurance isn’t the goal. Care is.

So, what now?

This isn’t a list of things to fix.
It’s a moment to stop and name what’s true:

• That we’ve built systems that forget.

• That we’ve normalized avoidable suffering.

• That we’ve tolerated too much.

But also this:

• That we can remember.

• That we can prepare.

• That we can do better.  Without blame, without shame – just with clarity, and care.

Final Thought

Flu season isn’t the story.
It never was.

The story is us.
What we allow.
What we protect.
What we change.
And whether we’re ready to stop calling all of this “normal.”

🫶 Written for the ones who keep showing up, even when the system doesn’t.

We see you.
And we’re here to help.

If this resonates, take 10 minutes to connect. Not to check a box, but to start designing a flu season plan that remembers everything we learned the hard way.

📅 Book a planning call or just 📞call us directly: 404-698-1975

What the Shannon Womack Case Teaches Us About Healthcare Staffing Compliance

Healthcare staffing compliance in 2025 isn’t a luxury, it’s a legal and ethical necessity. And nothing proves that more than the disturbing case of Shannon Nicole Womack, a woman who impersonated a nurse in over a dozen states.

According to this New York Post article, between 2020 to 2024, Womack used 10+ aliases, seven different social security numbers, four stolen RN identities, forged multiple documents to pass I-9 verification, and even created her own staffing agency to find travel positions. Despite having no valid nursing license, she worked at multiple facilities across Pennsylvania, Georgia, Tennessee, and beyond. Many employers never knew they’d hired an impostor until investigators called.

You may be asking yourself, “How did this even happen?” Trust me, I asked myself the same question!

One-time checks = one big loophole
Most agencies and facilities run a single license check at the time of hire. Womack’s stolen credentials were tied to real nurses, so everything looked valid at first glance.

No identity verification beyond documents
In today’s remote-first staffing world, many agencies never see their candidates face-to-face, which makes it easier for impostors to get through with a convincing fake ID.

Desperation meets opportunity
In a healthcare staffing crisis, speed often wins out over scrutiny. Womack took full advantage of short-staffed facilities needing “any nurse available, now.”

Do you need a nurse “now” but need help with credentialing? Contact Us Now!

What This Means for Facilities

When a facility hires through a staffing agency, they trust that credentials are valid, verified, and legal. Here’s what you should ask every staffing partner:

• Are you Joint Commission–certified?
• Do you use real-time credential monitoring?
• Do you verify identities and run aliases through databases?
• Can you show documentation audits on demand?

If the answer isn’t a confident yes, you’re taking a risk.

ATC’s Approach to Healthcare Staffing Compliance

When I first read the article, I couldn’t help but wonder, “Would our team at ATC have caught her? Would our systems, checks, and credentialing processes have flagged someone like Shannon Womack before she ever reached a facility?”

I’m proud to say: YES, we absolutely would have! Our compliance protocols are designed to catch exactly this kind of fraud, like a fly in a web.

At ATC, we don’t cut corners. In fact, we recently passed our Joint Commission audit with flying colors 🪂, and here’s exactly why:

• Real-Time License Monitoring We don’t just verify licenses once – we monitor them continuously.
• Identity Verification + Alias Detection We verify SSNs and names using national databases to detect any red flags.
• I‑9 + E-Verify with ID Matching Unlike many staffing agencies, we validate documents through E-Verify and use real-time photo ID verification to ensure a candidate is who they say they are.
• Multi-Layer Credentialing Our credentialing goes a step beyond by confirming education and licensing with the source. We require original, verifiable documents. We conduct internal audits every quarter.

Bottom Line: Compliance Is a Competitive Advantage

At ATC, we have built a culture of proactive compliance. Our tech-driven systems, deep audits, and hands-on credentialing processes are designed to prevent cases like Womack’s from ever happening on our watch.

Your patients deserve safe, qualified care. Your facility deserves a partner you can trust.

👉 Contact ATC today to get compliant, stay staffed, and sleep better at night.

When I started writing this blog, I knew the cost of living had gone up. However, it wasn’t until I put pen to paper and started calculating what an average single-parent working in healthcare might be spending every month that I realized what it really costs to live in 2025. Instantly, I said “I don’t know how healthcare staff are making it right now, especially CNAs.”

Since I’m in a different situation (two incomes, no kids—aka a DINK household), I decided to do some digging. I reached out to a few folks to ask about their monthly expenses, particularly childcare. The first responses I got?

(Only slightly kidding.)

What It Really Costs to Live in 2025

Based on what I heard from people in Georgia and South Carolina, here’s a realistic monthly budget:

That adds up to $80,100 per year just for the basics. You’d need a $107,000 annual salary just to break even. That’s between $51-57 per hour depending on your hours. In contrast, even without childcare, you’re still looking at a necessary salary of around $71,000 per year. Of course, some people may not have a car payment (because they can’t afford it) while others may save on groceries by going to food pantries or local churches. But should they have to? These are the folks taking care of our sick and elderly. They are saving lives yet are barely able to maintain a healthy lifestyle themselves.

Compare That to What Healthcare Staff Are Actually Making

Let’s look at a few average hourly wages in 2025:

• Certified Nursing Assistant: ~$18/hour

• Licensed Practical Nurse: ~$29/hour

• Registered Nurse: ~$42/hour

You don’t need to be a mathematician to see the problem. The numbers simply don’t add up.

The Real-World Impact

When healthcare staff can’t afford basic expenses, the ripple effects are serious:

• Increased burnout and job hopping

• Declining quality of care

• Chronic staffing shortages

• Employees working multiple jobs to survive

• Declining interest in healthcare careers

And for facilities already struggling to hire and retain staff, this isn’t just a worker problem. It’s a genuine patient care crisis.

So What Can Be Done?

Whether you’re a healthcare worker, facility leader, or policymaker, here’s what we need to consider:

For Workers:

• Know your value. Advocate for fair wages.

• Consider travel or agency roles with better pay.

• Track expenses and know your “survival salary.”

For Facilities:

• Pay attention to wage vs. cost-of-living gaps.

• Offer childcare stipends, housing support, or health insurance coverage.

• Remember, staff retention is cheaper than constant recruitment.

For Policymakers:

• Push for childcare reform and subsidies.

• Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement needs to go up—not down. (Looking at you, Big Beautiful Bill.)

• Invest in workforce development and credentialing programs.

Final Thoughts

The math isn’t mathing anymore. And when the people caring for our loved ones are struggling to pay their rent or buy groceries, we’re facing a much bigger issue than wages alone. It’s time to acknowledge this reality and start making meaningful changes.

Looking for some extra work? Check out our open jobs here.

Creating an emergency healthcare staffing plan for back-to-school chaos isn’t just smart, it’s survival. Fall brings PTO requests, callouts, early-release surprises, and life transitions that hit your team (and your schedule) harder than a Monday morning with no coffee. The good news? A few small moves now can save you from total calendar collapse later.

Whether you’re managing a clinic, hospital floor, or float pool, these five quick actions will set your team (and yourself) up for a smoother September.

1. Identify Your September Red Flags

Start by asking:

• Which roles were hardest to staff last fall?
• Who on your team has school-age kids or major schedule changes?
• Are there PTO clusters or part-time shifts stacking up?

✅ Do this now: Ask your team what their fall really looks like—early drop-offs, carpool duties, new routines. Build your staffing plan around their real-life needs, not just their hours.

2. Run the “What If Someone Calls Out” Drill

Scenario A: Your lead nurse gets sick the day before the school year starts.
Scenario B: A callout + another callout + a full house.

✅ Do this now: Create a “Plan B” roster. No surprises = fewer panic orders.

3. Use the Message You’ll Be Glad You Sent

Proactive communication = fewer breakdowns later. Here’s your magic message:

“Hey team! If your availability might shift this fall, let’s talk now before the schedule fills up.”

✅ Do this now: Send it this week. It’ll save you at least three last-minute shift scrambles and a whole lot of stress.

4. Schedule Time on Your Calendar to Work on Your Schedule

Wild concept, right? But it works. Blocking actual time to build and adjust your staffing plan beats staring at a task list and hoping for the best.

✅ Do this now: Add 30–60 minute “Staffing Focus” blocks to your calendar at least once a week. No meetings, no distractions, and no one asking you if you’re available – you’re not. People who do this get up to 53% more done than task-reminder-only folks.

5. Download our Emergency Staffing Toolkit

This bonus tool makes your planning easier. Use it to organize your:

• Pre-approved float staff list
• “Trusted backup” contact sheet
• Shift meltdown workflow
• A few one-liner excuses for skipping unnecessary meetings 😉

✅ Do this now: ⬇️ Download the Emergency Staffing Toolkit PDF

Print it. Share it. Tape it to your desk like it’s your lifeline—because in September, it might be.

Ready to Take the Pressure Off?

You don’t have to do it all alone. ATC has credentialed, ready-to-roll healthcare professionals, from school nurses to behavioral health techs to shift-saving floaters.

We’ll help you build a backup plan that works so your fall doesn’t feel like a group project gone wrong.

👉 Let’s build your fall staffing plan now

The Mental Health Toolkit You Didn’t Know You Needed (But Definitely Do)

Mental Health Awareness Month isn’t just about raising awareness; it’s about taking action. So, we pulled together a few of our favorite science-backed, soul-soothing strategies to help you ease your mind, reconnect with yourself, and maybe even breathe a little easier this month.

These aren’t just good ideas: they’re backed by experts, research, and real-life mental health advocates. Let’s dive in.

💤 1. Prioritize Sleep (Seriously)

📘 Book Rec: Why We Sleep by Dr. Matthew Walker

 Watch: How Sleep Affects Your Emotions

If sleep were a pill, it would be the most powerful medicine in the world, and we’d all be hoarding it. Getting enough rest helps regulate mood, boosts cognitive function, and protects against anxiety and depression.

Tip: Set a 30-minute “wind-down” routine; screens off, lights low, maybe a good book (but not your phone).

🧘‍♀️ 2. Move Your Body

📱 Follow: Yoga With Adriene – YouTube

You don’t have to hit a spin class to get mental health benefits from movement. A 10-minute walk outside or a quick yoga flow can lower cortisol levels and help regulate your nervous system.

Try this: “Movement, not punishment” is our mantra this month.

🧠 3. Learn to Breathe (Correctly)

📘 Book Rec: Breath by James Nestor

Watch: Huberman Lab: How to Breathe to Reduce Stress

Breathing isn’t just automatic, it’s strategic. Dr. Andrew Huberman and James Nestor both agree; how you breathe can directly affect your mood, focus, and stress levels.

Try this: Inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 6. Repeat a few times and let your nervous system reset.

🎨 4. Explore Art as Therapy

Watch: Why Art is Good For Your Brain – The School of Life

You don’t need to be an “artist” to benefit from creating something. Art therapy allows you to express emotions that are difficult to put into words. It reduces stress, activates the brain’s reward system, and gives you a much-needed break from the noise.

Tip: Remember, it’s more about how you feel while creating the art, than the art you create. It doesn’t have to “look good”.

🕯️5. Try Meditation (Yes, even for 2 minutes)

Subscribe: Boho Beautiful Meditation on YouTube

You don’t need an hour and a candlelit room to feel the benefits of meditation. Just a couple of intentional breaths can help reset your mind and body.

Tip: If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your breath without any judgement.

📵 6. Set Boundaries with People and Screens

🧠 Resource: @nedratawwab | Author of Set Boundaries, Find Peace

Spoiler: you don’t have to answer that text right now. Or that email. Or go to that thing. Boundaries protect your energy and your peace, and your nervous system is begging for them.

Tip: One hour of no-screen time each morning and evening can do wonders.

💬 7. Talk to Someone (Really Talk)

📱 Resource: BetterHelp | Professional Therapy With A Licensed Therapist

Whether it’s a therapist, a peer support group, or that one friend who always texts “You good?”, connection is everything. There’s no shame in saying, “I need help.” In fact, it might be the most powerful thing you do all month.

Tip: Set up a “mental health check-in” with someone you trust. No agenda, just connection.

Final Thoughts

Mental health is part of whole health. Whether you’re a nurse pulling back-to-backs, an HR pro managing a stressed-out team, or just a human trying to hold it together, you deserve support.

This month, we’re not just talking about awareness. We’re talking about action. And these small practices? They’re a great place to start.

Mental health support for healthcare workers is more urgent than ever. HBO’s The Pitt puts a spotlight on burnout, trauma, and the emotional weight of caregiving. Let’s break it down.

If you’ve watched HBO’s The Pitt, chances are you didn’t wrap up the first episode thinking, “What a fun escape.” More likely, you sat there with that half-laugh, half-sigh that says, “Did someone install cameras at my job?”

Because The Pitt doesn’t try to sugarcoat healthcare. No moody lighting. No heroic theme music swelling in the background. Just understaffed chaos, moral exhaustion, and the quiet unraveling of people who are doing their best to hold it together. It’s not drama for drama’s sake. It’s what healthcare really feels like, and for once, the world is seeing it too.

There’s a scene (don’t worry, no spoilers) where a provider breaks down alone, no spotlight or big speech, just the kind of exhausted silence that healthcare workers know all too well. That moment? It doesn’t feel scripted. It feels remembered.

The show doesn’t exaggerate. If anything, it understates the constant juggling act: caring for patients, managing grief, chasing paperwork, and putting out fires—sometimes literally, sometimes metaphorically, sometimes both in the same shift. It gets the little things right, too. The mental fog from back-to-back trauma. The crusty granola bar in your scrubs from last year. The look someone gives when they’ve seen too much, too often, and too recently.

What The Pitt Reveals About the Mental Health Crisis in Healthcare

What makes The Pitt so uncomfortable to watch is also what makes it so validating. It mirrors the emotional truth of this work; the moments no one sees, the pressure no one talks about, and the strength it takes to keep showing up anyway. It’s one of the rare times we see that truth reflected with care instead of cliché.

So, if the show hit a little close to home, you’re not alone. That’s not your imagination, it’s your reality, finally portrayed with honesty.

And that honesty matters. Not just because it’s good television, but because it sparks something deeper. It makes people outside the industry pause and realize, “Wait, this is what healthcare workers go through?”

This Mental Health Awareness Month, that reflection is important. But let’s go further than just awareness. Because truthfully, self-care and breakroom yoga aren’t going to cut it when the system itself is running people into the ground. If the solution to burnout fits inside a swag bag, it’s not a real solution.

What actually helps? Real, accessible mental health support. Schedules that don’t flip-flop every week. Staffing levels that let people breathe. PTO that people can take without guilt. It’s not complicated—it’s just uncommon.

At the end of the day, The Pitt may be fiction. But the exhaustion, the pressure, the pain? That’s real life for too many people. And that reality deserves more than applause. It deserves action.

Because caring for the caregivers isn’t optional. It’s essential.

Haven’t seen the show yet! Watch it now on HBO Max.

🩺 Need a staffing partner who actually supports your team’s wellbeing? Let’s talk.

ATC is here to help your facility, and your people, thrive.

5 Hidden-Gem Vacation Spots to Actually Unplug—Because You Need It Too.

You’ve covered last-minute shifts.
You’ve navigated call-outs, census spikes, staffing shortages, and three new agency contracts—this week.

You’re running on caffeine, muscle memory, and the hope that next week slows down (it won’t). And the irony? You’re probably the one reminding everyone else to take care of themselves.

Here’s the truth:
You can’t lead well if you’re running on fumes. You can’t keep giving if you never take. And you deserve more than two days off with your email tab still open.

So we’re giving you permission (and maybe a little push) to plan your PTO—and actually enjoy it.

To help, we’ve rounded up 5 Southeast vacation spot gems that are:

• Within driving distance
• Low-key and relaxing
• Not overrun with tourists
• Basically tailor-made for healthcare leaders who need a breather

🌊 1. Cape San Blas, Florida

“I need a beach with zero chaos” starter pack.

No crowds. No high-rises. Just a quiet stretch of Gulf Coast with sea breeze, shell-hunting, and the kind of silence that makes you forget how many unread emails you have.

🧭 Why it’s perfect for you:

• Pet- and introvert-friendly
• Minimal cell service (good!)
• Great for solo unwinding or a low-effort family trip

Cape San Blas Florida

🏞️ 2. Providence Canyon, GA

Georgia’s best-kept secret that isn’t a Waffle House off I-75.

They call it the “Little Grand Canyon,” but it’s got big main-character energy. Stunning rock formations, quiet trails, and zero group texts.

🧭 Why you’ll vibe with it:

• A full sensory reset in a day or two
• Easy hikes, even if your cardio game’s a little… admin-core
• You’ll feel like you traveled far, but it’s still Georgia

Providence Canyon State Park

🌲 3. Lake Jocassee, SC

You, on a boat. No phone. Just floating. ✌️

This lake is the kind of peaceful that makes your brain whisper, “Oh yeah…this is what rest feels like.” Waterfalls. Kayaking. Cool mountain air. Fewer humans.

🧭 Why it’s calling your name:

• Picture-postcard views, minus the crowds
• Great for a long weekend you won’t fill with spreadsheets
• Stay in a cabin, read a book, float in the sun

Lake Jocassee, SC

🏔️ 4. Roan Mountain, TN

Nature’s version of “Do Not Disturb.”

High elevation, cool breeze, grassy trails, and flower-strewn meadows. You won’t find tiki bars here—but you’ll find peace. And maybe your sanity.

🧭 Perfect if you need:

• A full disconnect from the chaos
• A chance to move your body without being paged
• A cozy cabin with zero admin duties

Roan Mountain State Park

🏖️ 5. Edisto Beach, SC

Close to Charleston. Far from the noise.

Edisto is what people think beach towns used to be like. It’s chill. It’s beautiful. It’s porch-napping, shrimp-taco-eating, “no-schedule” summer bliss.

🧭 Why it works:

• You can go tomorrow—it’s that easy
• Great for a quiet weekend when the inbox starts blinking too loud
• Bonus: You probably won’t run into your staff

Town of Edisto Beach, SC

💬 Final Word (from one tired pro to another):

You need rest just as much as your team does. Probably more.
And while your instinct is to “just push through summer,” your clarity, patience, and leadership depend on you taking a real break.

So here’s your nudge:
✅ Submit the PTO.
✅ Pick a place.
✅ Actually unplug.

You earned it—not when census slows down, but now.

📣 If you’re planning for summer PTO, we can help you build a flexible staffing strategy to ensure everyone gets the break they deserve—without compromising care.  Contact Us

Let’s be honest:
If you’ve worked in healthcare for more than five minutes, you already know summer can be staffing chaos. Vacations, unexpected sick days, travel nurse competition—throw in a census spike or two and suddenly your charge nurse is pulling double duty, again.

But while summer staffing challenges aren’t new, the way savvy facilities prepare for them is. Spoiler: the best plans don’t start in June.

They start now.

Why April is the New June for Staffing Strategy

We get it—April still feels like spring. There’s Easter candy in the breakroom and PTO calendars seem manageable. But here’s the reality:

• Travel nurses? By May, they’re booked.

• Onboarding? It takes time—background checks, credentialing, orientation… not exactly one-click ordering.

• Vacation approvals? Most clinicians submit summer PTO in March or April. The clock’s ticking.

📉 Wait too long and you’ll be left with fewer options, higher costs, and a frazzled staff wondering why they’re working three weekends in a row.

Common Summer Staffing Mistakes (That You Still Have Time to Avoid)

Let’s play a quick game of “Don’t Be That Facility.”
Here are the top pitfalls we see every year:

• ❌ Banking on your core staff to cover everything. Burnout is not a staffing strategy.

• ❌ Booking travelers at the last minute. You’ll overpay and under-match.

• ❌ Assuming census will behave. (It won’t.)

• ❌ Locking into rigid contracts. Flexibility isn’t just for yoga.

✔️ Pro Tip: Just because it worked last year doesn’t mean it will work this summer. Start fresh with a smarter strategy.

What High-Performing Facilities Are Doing Differently

Here’s what the top facilities (aka your future self) are doing right now to prep for summer:

• Holding summer staffing planning sessions in April.

• Layering their staffing models—mixing float pool, PRN, and travel staff to stay nimble.

• Getting contracts in place now while quality candidates are still available.

• Forecasting PTO trends to get ahead of big gaps.

💬 “Facilities that lock in their summer coverage by early May almost never need crisis help later,” says one of our veteran recruiters. “It’s like booking your flight before prices spike.”

Questions to Kick Off Your Summer Staffing Plan

Before June creeps up like your cat during a Zoom call, ask yourself:

• How many PTO days are already approved for summer?

• Do we have visibility on our highest-risk shifts?

• What’s our current time-to-fill for core roles?

• Do we have both local and travel resources lined up?

• What’s our plan B (and C) for back-to-back call-offs?

📝 Bonus: Create a simple staffing scenario map—best case, worst case, and likely case. Build a flexible plan around it.

Bottom Line: Future You Will Thank You

Summer’s coming. And while we can’t control vacation requests or census spikes, we can control how prepared we are for them.

The difference between a stressful summer and a manageable one? Planning.

So take a beat, look at your PTO calendar, chat with your department heads, and start locking in what you can now. Your team (and your blood pressure) will thank you.

Need some help getting started? Download our free Summer Staffing Readiness Checklist by clicking below!

Summer Staffing Checklist

Because healthcare is hard enough—let’s make it easier on yourself

If you’ve worked in healthcare for more than five minutes, you already know: Stress is inevitable.

• Patients panic.
• Families demand answers.
• Coworkers get on your nerves.
• You’ve got six things to do at once, and somehow, everyone needs you right now.

But here’s the deal—how you handle stress, conflict, and emotions determines whether your shift feels like controlled chaos or a total meltdown. That’s where emotional intelligence (EQ) comes in.

And the good news? You can improve it. No self-help books or therapy sessions required—just some practical, real-world strategies to make your job (and life) easier. Let’s get into it.

Step 1: Catch Yourself Before You Snap (Self-Awareness 101)

Ever had a moment where you said something in frustration and instantly regretted it? Yep, we all have.

The problem: Most of us go through the day on autopilot, reacting to things without realizing what’s actually triggering us.

💡 Try This: Next time you feel annoyed, stressed, or overwhelmed, ask yourself:
❓ What’s actually bothering me? (Is it the patient, or am I just exhausted?)
❓ Am I reacting to this person, or am I carrying frustration from earlier?
❓ What do I need right now? A deep breath? A second to reset?

👉 The Fix: When you feel yourself getting frustrated, pause for five seconds before responding. Those few seconds give your brain time to catch up with your emotions so you don’t react in a way you’ll regret.

🔄 Make It a Habit: Start “checking in” with yourself during your shift—especially in stressful moments. The more you practice, the easier it gets.

Step 2: Control What You Can, Let Go of What You Can’t

A lot of workplace stress comes from trying to control things that are 100% out of your hands.

❌ You can’t control a patient’s attitude.
❌ You can’t control if a coworker is slacking.
❌ You can’t control how busy your shift gets.

But you can control:
✅ Your reactions (Snapping vs. staying calm)
✅ Your mindset (“This shift is awful” vs. “I’ll get through this shift like I always do”)
✅ How you set boundaries (Saying no, taking breaks, asking for help)

💡 Try This: The next time you catch yourself stressing over something out of your control, take a deep breath and ask: “What part of this situation do I actually have power over?” Focus on that. Let the rest go.

Step 3: Master the Art of Not Taking Things Personally

Newsflash: Patients aren’t mad at you.

• They’re mad at their pain, their diagnosis, their insurance company, or just the fact that they’ve been waiting forever.
• They’re scared. They don’t understand what’s happening. They feel powerless.

The way you respond can either make things worse or help them feel safe.

💡 Try This:
Next time a patient is rude, angry, or short with you, don’t react right away. Instead, mentally separate their emotions from your own.

Ask yourself:
❓ Is this about me, or are they just scared/frustrated?
❓ If I were in their position, how would I want to be treated?

👉 The Fix: Instead of matching their frustration, try something like:
🗨️ “I hear that you’re frustrated, and I want to help.”
🗨️ “I know this is stressful. Let’s figure it out together.”

Small shifts in how you respond can completely change the energy of a conversation.

Step 4: Handle Coworker Drama Like a Pro

You work in a high-stress environment. Tension happens. But if every little disagreement turns into a full-blown feud, it makes everything harder.

❌ Talking behind someone’s back? (Nope.)
❌ Passive-aggressive behavior? (Unprofessional.)
❌ Letting small annoyances build up until you explode? (Disaster waiting to happen.)

💡 Try This Instead:

• Address small issues early. (“Hey, I noticed we’re getting our wires crossed on patient handoffs. Let’s fix that.”)
• Don’t assume bad intentions. (Maybe they aren’t being difficult—maybe they’re having a bad day.)
• Pick your battles. (Not every little thing is worth getting worked up over.)

👉 The Fix: Before reacting to a coworker, ask:
❓ “Is this an actual problem, or just a small annoyance?”
❓ “Will this matter a week from now?”

If the answer is no, let it go. If it’s yes, address it professionally, not emotionally.

Step 5: Don’t Forget to Take Care of YOU

You can’t pour from an empty cup. If you’re constantly exhausted, stressed, and emotionally drained, your EQ will tank fast.

💡 Try This:
✅ Take breaks (guilt-free!) – You’re not a robot.
✅ Find small ways to decompress during shifts – Even one minute of deep breathing helps.
✅ Outside of work, do things that refill your energy – Exercise, sleep, time with people who don’t drain you.

👉 The Fix:
Self-care isn’t selfish. You can’t be good at your job if you’re running on fumes.

The Bottom Line: EQ Makes Healthcare (and Life) Easier

You already know how to be clinically great at your job. But when you work in healthcare, how you handle emotions—yours and everyone else’s—matters just as much.

By improving your emotional intelligence, you will:
✅ Have way less stress at work (because you won’t take things personally)
✅ Feel more in control of your emotions (instead of reacting to everything)
✅ Communicate better with patients and coworkers (and avoid unnecessary drama)
✅ Actually enjoy your job more (because you’re handling things like a pro)

And the best part? It’s all stuff you can improve, starting today.

Want to work somewhere that values EQ as much as experience? We’ve got opportunities for you.

📞 Find Your Next Opportunity

Don’t forget to check out all our other articles on our blog!