Concerns about exhaustion among health care workers who have been on the frontlines of the Covid-19 pandemic for more than 18 months began to fade after the approval of several viable vaccinations and a robust immunization program. As a result, vaccination rates have fallen significantly short of expectations, which has kept health care professionals in the trenches.
Before Covid-19, burnout was a common issue, but the pandemic’s numerous crushing rounds and escalating diseases have made this systemic tiredness a problem.
Many health care workers feel that this round is personal and terribly preventable for them and their families. Why? Unvaccinated people have been responsible for more than 99 percent of the recent Covid-19 deaths.
Burnout can lead to long-term mental health issues if it isn’t handled. Several studies have found that health care personnel who were exposed to the SARS pandemic in 2002 developed post-traumatic stress disorder. If health care executives don’t take drastic and quick actions to curb the increasing turnover rate, there is a good chance that more and more health care workers may leave the field.
In the most challenging of situations, healthcare workers have shown up time and time again, and it’s time to show up for them. As health care personnel continue to struggle with the complications of treating Covid-19, health care leaders have a responsibility to build resilience and preserve mental well-being.
Even though it may be tempting to postpone addressing burnout in favor of “just getting through this moment,” delaying this vital task does a disservice to health care professionals who are in need of assistance and respite at this very moment. As the number of Covid-19 patients continues to rise, there are steps healthcare leaders can take today that will bring about much-needed and welcomed reforms.
Use your organization’s mission and values as a guide for current projects. There should be no tolerance for staff injury and caregiver tiredness in the medical field to be accepted as unavoidable. Leaders can and should emphasize developing a culture of safety in health care, where employees believe they are both safe and supported in the workplace. Nuclear power and aviation are only two of many high-risk businesses that use strict systems to ensure the safety of their workers and, in turn, their customers. Taking a comprehensive approach to resolving long-standing patient safety issues is possible with Covid-19.
Vaccines should be supported. Covid-19 vaccinations can benefit from the support of health care leaders, despite the fact that they may not be able to scrub in with their clinical team. They can all play a part in boosting public trust in vaccines in their own communities, and this includes hospital and health system officials and personnel. In order to alleviate the stress of healthcare workers caring for Covid-19 patients, it is critical to increasing immunization rates.
As soon as possible and frequently, including frontline staff. When it comes to healthcare organizations, no one has a better understanding of what works (and what doesn’t) than those who interact with patients on a daily basis. As a result, they have a unique perspective on how policies and internal practices (which don’t necessarily align with policies) have been tested during the past 18 months. Workers at all levels must have an opportunity to contribute to the success of change projects. It’s critical to listen to folks on the ground and empower them as changemakers in order to achieve long-term progress. It’s more important than ever to pay attention to what your employees are saying and to solve their concerns and issues.
In the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak, the health care industry has a wealth of information to draw on, as well as an abundance of new potential to improve its services. These lessons should be taken to heart by health care executives and used to create long-term and good change. Nothing less will do for the health care workers and the individuals they serve.