This year has been difficult for so many people. We have all heard about frontline workers, and many of us know frontline workers. While COVID has taken a toll on all frontline workers, healthcare workers have really been hit hard this year. According to Mental Health America, healthcare workers are experiencing high levels of anxiety, stress, overwhelm, depression, and burnout. Frontline workers experience increased anxiety and depression by continuously witnessing the direct effects of the pandemic as is spreads throughout communities. Over 65% of healthcare workers do not feel they have adequate emotional support to deal with the stressors of their job.
If you are a healthcare worker reading this, please know that you are so valuable. Without you, we as a community, state, and nation would be in a much worse place. You may be struggling with burnout. Burnout is defined by the World Health Organization as “feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of cynicism or negativity about one’s job, and reduced professional efficacy.” In short, burnout is dangerous for the person experiencing it and can cause negatively impact the individual’s ability to perform their job. This not only impact healthcare workers, but their patients, co-workers, family, and friends.
There is good news. Here are some things you can do to reduce the effects of burnout:
- Reach out to HR to possibly reduce hours or workload.
- Take time off.
- Beef up your self-care: eat well, sleep, and move your body.
- Consider adding stress reduction to your daily routine. Things such as yoga or meditation
- Spend time with family and friends.
- Reach out to a mental health professional.
What if you are reading this and are a family member or good friend to a healthcare professional. Is there a way you can support them? First, understanding the basics of burnout is important. If you want to support the healthcare worker in your life, then I recommend considering some of the following tips:
- Express your appreciation to them-oftentimes healthcare workers are not appreciated, understood, or thanked for their work. Express appreciation for them regularly.
- Listen—many healthcare workers have lost patients to COVID19. They are dealing with increased levels of stress and overwhelm. Many healthcare workers benefit from their friends and family listening to them. You don’t have to provide advice, simply listen, and empathize with them.
- Take on chores-if you are the spouse or partner of a healthcare worker, you can support them by taking on additional responsibilities within the home. Cook dinner, clean the bathroom, take care of the kids so your spouse or partner can relax when they are off their shift.
- Take care of yourself-it’s especially hard to be a spouse, partner, or close friend of a healthcare work during this time. One of the best ways to support them is for you to take good care of you. By doing this, you are more present for them when they need you.
Being a healthcare worker during the continued COVID-19 pandemic is tough. Many people do not understand the secondary trauma that healthcare workers experience being exposed to the nightmare that is COVID-19. To mitigate any more damage to healthcare workers, it is important that you understand that the anxiety, stress, depression, loneliness, and burnout you are feeling is normal. You are not alone. Many people care about you and want the best for you. Please consider the above suggestions to help relieve the emotional overwhelm you may be experiencing. If you are the partner of a healthcare worker, please take some time today to familiarize yourself with the effects of burnout and emotional overwhelm so you can show up and support your loved one. This is an especially difficult time for healthcare workers. The good news is, you are not alone, and those around you can join together to support and encourage you through this time.
To Health, Hope, and Healing
Krista