Background: Emotional regulation forms an integral part of healthcare delivery. In the performance of the core\nduties of nursing and midwifery, health professionals are expected to enhance occupationally/organisationally\nrequired emotions. The purpose of this study is to explore.\nThe meaning nurses and midwives give to emotional labour as well as the coping resources employed by these\nprofessionals in order to manage the emotional demands of their profession.\nMethod: A qualitative study was conducted using a semi-structured interview guide with fifteen (15) purposively\nselected nurses and midwives. Interviews were recorded and simultaneously translated and transcribed. Thematic\nanalysis was used to analyse the data.\nResults: Our findings showed that participants conceptualized emotional labour as display of rules. Sadness, abuse\nand bullying, poor incentivisation, emotional exhaustion and emotional mix bag were reported by the participants\nas emotional demands and deficits. Nurses and midwives coped with emotional labour through the use of five (5)\nmain resources: psychological capital, routinisation of emotions, religious resources, social support and job security.\nConclusion: Nursing and midwifery professional duties are accompanied with emotional regulations which tend to\nhave consequential effects on a myriad of work-related issues. Clinical healthcare training needs to intensify and\nequip professionals with the skills of regulating and managing their emotions since managing emotional demands\nare central to effective healthcare delivery.
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