Cultivating Emotional Awareness in Healthcare: A Key to Stronger Teams and Better Patient Care
Emotional awareness is a critical skill in healthcare, helping professionals create a supportive, collaborative environment that benefits both their teams and the patients they serve. Whether you’re interacting with patients and families or collaborating with colleagues in a fast-paced clinical setting, emotional awareness can strengthen connections, enhance decision-making and improve overall well-being.
As a key component of emotional intelligence (EQ), emotional awareness involves recognizing and understanding your emotions and how they influence your actions and interactions.
Why Emotional Awareness Matters in Healthcare
Healthcare is a high-stakes field requiring compassion, empathy and professionalism. By actively taking steps to improve emotional awareness, healthcare professionals can:
- Enhance patient and family interactions. Recognizing emotions allows providers to respond with greater sensitivity, helping patients feel heard and understood.
- Strengthen team collaboration. Emotional awareness fosters open communication, reducing misunderstandings and improving teamwork in high-pressure situations.
- Reduce stress and burnout. By managing emotional triggers and recognizing signs of stress, healthcare professionals can protect their own well-being while continuing to provide compassionate care.
- Improve leadership skills. Emotionally aware leaders create a culture of trust and support, empowering their teams to perform at their best.
Emotional awareness may seem like something you’re either born with or not but, like any skill, developing emotional awareness takes intention and practice. While the guidance and support of professionals is recommended and sometimes necessary, there are small steps you can take to cultivate your emotional awareness. Incorporate a few of these key strategies into your daily routine to build resilience, enhance your work relationships and make a greater impact on patient care.
Practical Strategies for Strengthening Emotional Awareness
Identify and Label Your Emotions
Understanding your emotions starts with naming them. This self-awareness helps you reflect on why you feel a certain way and respond more thoughtfully.
Try This: Keep a journal focused on emotions. At the end of each day, write down the emotions you experienced, what triggered them, and how you responded. This practice can reveal patterns and provide insight into your emotional responses over time.
Tune Into Physical Cues
Your body often signals your emotions before your mind fully registers them. Tension, rapid breathing or a racing heart can all be signs of emotional stress.
Try This: Try Mindful Body Scan Meditation or Progressive Muscle Relaxation throughout the day to check in with yourself. Notice any tension, changes in your posture or irregular breathing. This awareness can help you manage emotions before they escalate.
Pause Before Reacting
In a fast-paced healthcare environment, quick decisions are necessary—but reacting impulsively to emotionally charged situations can create tension.
Try This: Use the STOPP technique:
- Stop before reacting.
- Take a breath to center yourself.
- Observe your emotions and thoughts.
- Pull back for perspective.
- Proceed with a thoughtful response.
Seek Feedback
Your colleagues can offer valuable insight into how you express and manage emotions in the workplace. Seeking feedback helps align your actions with your intentions.
Try This: Schedule informal check-ins with a mentor or trusted team member. Ask how your emotional responses impact teamwork and patient care and use their feedback to refine your emotional awareness.
Practice Mindful Observation
Mindfulness helps you stay present and aware of your emotions without judgment. This skill allows you to recognize emotional triggers and respond intentionally.
Try This: Dedicate 10 minutes a day to mindfulness, whether through guided meditation or deep breathing exercises. A few moments of mindfulness before or after a shift can help reduce stress and increase self-awareness.
Reframe Your Perspective
In high-stress situations, shifting your mindset can help you approach challenges with resilience rather than frustration.
Try This: When facing a difficult situation, write down three alternative perspectives. This practice helps maintain emotional balance and fosters problem-solving.
Want to learn more? Explore these widely available resources:
- Books: The EQ Difference by Adele Lynn and The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves.
- Smartphone Apps: How We Feel; What’s Up? A Mental Health App; and Virtual Hope Box provide stress management and coping strategies to use in the moment.
- Websites: Explore resources on emotional intelligence and self-awareness at MindTools and Verywell Mind.
- Podcasts: Living and Leading with Emotional Intelligence by Emotional Intelligence Magazine™ and the Knowing Self Knowing Others Podcast with Dr. Nia D. Thomas offer insights into managing emotions and fostering well-being.
Supporting Emotional Well-Being at Texas Children’s
At Texas Children’s Hospital, we understand that when healthcare professionals feel supported in their emotional growth and well-being, they are better equipped to provide the high-quality care our patients and families rely on. We also know that emotional awareness is crucial for maintaining a healthy work environment.
Our Employee Well-Being team is dedicated to fostering a culture of emotional resilience and support, equipping employees with tools to navigate the emotional challenges of healthcare through a wide range of initiatives, including self-paced courses and live webinars, mindfulness resources, stress management programs and resilience coaching. Additionally, our on-site Employee Assistance Program provides confidential counseling and professional support to promote emotional health, wellness and quality of life for all employees and eligible family members. By offering these comprehensive resources, we ensure that our team members have the support they need to thrive—both personally and professionally.
Take the Next Step in Your Career
If you’re looking for a workplace that values emotional intelligence, teamwork and professional growth, consider joining Texas Children’s. We offer a supportive environment where healthcare professionals can thrive while making a meaningful impact on patient care.
Explore career opportunities at Texas Children’s and Be the Difference as part of a team that prioritizes emotional awareness, well-being, and excellence in patient care.
