In this editorial, we consider the concept of emotional labour and its implications for contemporary health care practice. We note the rapid growth of research and scholarly activity within the field of emotions, and the rich sources of evidence that are now available to assist us in understanding the complex nature of nursing and midwifery work. Health care work is, by its nature, an area of heightened emotions, and thus is ripe ground for the exploration of emotions in the workplace. In particular, emotional labour research has contributed to our understanding of the crucial role emotion management plays in many work settings and the impact this has both positively and negatively on workers and clients.
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