Compassionate care by healthcare professionals can be emotionally draining and this relates to emotion labor. Practitioners who deliver compassionate care and are empathic gain more trust from their patients who in turn are more compliant, experience less pain and anxiety, and have a more positive prognosis. You will also experience benefits from building compassionate and empathic relationships with patients as it can help protect you from work-related stress and burnout and can create feelings of personal accomplishment. Unfortunately, delivering compassionate care does not completely shield you from the anxiety and stress that is ever-present among healthcare professionals. You have chosen a career that is emotionally demanding. You will be required to manage your emotions to display the ones appropriate for each situation and suppress emotional reactions that are unsuitable for the job role. This means that at times you will need to wear a smile for your patients even though you just had an argument with your best friend or spouse prior to arriving to work. There will be patients who are rude, sexist, or entitled that will require you to refrain from responding with a snide remark. The demands by your employer will create stress, for example, as when your unit is short staffed and you are required to work an extra shift. Controlling and hiding your emotions is required to present a competent and professional persona. Working a 12-hour shift will be tiring but the required emotional labor may be the most taxing aspect of your day. Recommended coping mechanisms include taking breaks, a focus on personal wellness, having a social life outside of the unit, sleep, exercise, and spiritual renewal.