Hey there, healthcare heroes! Let’s be real. These past few years have been a rollercoaster for all of us, but none more so than our frontline workers in healthcare. The emotional and physical strain that comes with being a healthcare worker is no joke. It’s not surprising that a recent survey in Australia found that one in ten healthcare workers considered self-harm or suicide during the COVID pandemic. In China, more than seven in ten nurses and doctors who treated COVID-19 patients reported experiencing psychological discomfort.
It’s clear that healthcare workers need support to cope with the daily challenges that come with their job. And while public support is always appreciated, sometimes the best support comes from within. As healthcare workers, you need to look out for yourselves and each other.
Building a strong network of colleagues who can provide emotional and practical support can make all the difference in getting through tough times. These bonds are often formed when individuals share similar feelings of vulnerability and stress. So, don’t be afraid to reach out and connect with your co-workers.
Here are some ways you can make it easier to take care of yourself and improve your own and your co-workers’ safety:
- Prioritise self-care: Make time for yourself, whether it’s taking a walk, reading a book, or simply relaxing. Taking care of your mental and physical health is crucial to being able to care for others.
- Communicate openly: Share your thoughts and feelings with colleagues you trust. Talking about your experiences and emotions can help you feel less isolated and can help you build a stronger bond with your co-workers.
- Take breaks: It’s important to take breaks throughout the day to recharge and prevent burnout. Even just a few minutes of deep breathing or stretching can make a big difference.
- Recognise signs of distress: Keep an eye out for signs of distress in yourself and your colleagues. Don’t be afraid to reach out and offer support.
Remember, taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of your patients. By building strong bonds with your colleagues and practising self-care, you can navigate the challenges of your job with resilience and positivity. Take care of you, healthcare heroes!
Strengthen Employee Wellbeing: Simple Strategies to Build Team Resilience
Let’s talk about increasing employee wellbeing because, let’s face it, work can be stressful, especially for healthcare workers, who are often faced with challenging situations daily. However, by taking proactive steps to build resilience, employees can better cope with stress and overcome obstacles.
To promote wellbeing and help people thrive through difficult situations, healthcare organisations can encourage self-reflection by creating a supportive environment. This means giving employees chances to think about their own needs and skills and talk about them with trusted co-workers. Regular meetings highlighting the importance of mental and physical health and how employees can take care of themselves can contribute to significant changes in our workplaces.
To remember these strategies, we can use the acronym “SHARE”:
- See it.
- Hear it.
- Are you feeling it?
- Report it!
- Embrace everything you need.
By noticing, and talking about our thoughts and feelings with trusted co-workers, we can build a supportive community and be positive role models for others.
Remember, taking care of ourselves is crucial to taking care of others. Let’s work together to increase employee wellness and bolster strength.
Small Steps for Big Impact: Boosting Your Team’s Mental Health in the Workplace
It can be challenging to talk about mental health at work, but it’s essential to create an environment where your team feels safe to express their emotions. As a healthcare executive, it’s important to check in regularly with your staff and provide support for mental health treatment options or alternatives. Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup, be a robust role model for your team by prioritising your own self-care! Best practise also include allowing for flexibility in the workplace, such as changing work schedules to better fit the needs of employees. Employers can also provide workers with additional paid leave options.
Making careful plans for paid time off is important for keeping employees healthy and promoting a good balance between work and life. Giving employees more control over their work schedules and paid time off can help alleviate stress and increase job satisfaction. Employers who prioritise their employees’ needs and adhere to best practises are more likely to create a positive work culture, reduce staff turnover, and retain satisfied teams.
It’s crucial to remember that having a support system at work significantly contributes to maintaining good mental health among employees. Peers often understand each other’s struggles and offer support without breaking any taboos. Therefore, it is essential for organisations to establish peer support groups and wellbeing champions, and provide the necessary training and resources.
In addition, leaders should organise debriefing and supervision sessions, and establish supportive policies and procedures that monitor peer supporters. This is a great way to ensure that they are taken care of and can continue to provide quality support. Remember, we’re all in this together! Whether you’re a peer supporter or someone seeking support, your wellbeing is essential, and we need to work together to maintain it.
The Bottom Line
Unity is power! To all the healthcare heroes out there, we know these past years have been a wild ride. But it’s important to remember to take care of yourself and your colleagues. Building a strong support system of co-workers who understand the unique challenges of your job can make all the difference in getting through tough times.
Prioritise self-care, communicate openly, take breaks, and look out for signs of distress in yourself and others. By taking these small steps, you can boost your own and your team’s mental health and resilience. And let’s not forget the importance of paid time off and workplace flexibility in promoting a healthy work-life balance. Remember, taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of your patients. Keep up the great work, healthcare heroes!
Author Teresa Coffey
(in interview with several healthcare workers)
Sources
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00048674221075540?journalCode=anpa&journalCode=anpa
https://mhanational.org/how-healthcare-workers-can-support-each-other#_edn1
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0244052
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