Those who provide care to others seldom take the time to care for themselves. It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has created prolonged stressful working conditions for healthcare systems. All staff involved in frontline patient care (doctors, nurses, CNAs, and support staff, such as housekeeping, dietary, etc.) experience the strain. There is also increased stress for leadership as they make decisions to guide their organization through the crisis.
Great Plains Quality Innovation Network’s (QIN) Quality Care Coalitions provide an opportunity for healthcare and community stakeholders from communities across the Dakotas to bring forward challenges and share best practices. A request from an organization for “resources to help staff cope with burnout” led the Great Plains QIN team to connect with the Reach for Resilience ND team for resources to assist healthcare workers in building resilience and overcoming the pressures of working under continued stress.
Through Reach for Resilience, Dr. Jon Ulven, a licensed psychologist, shared their message on Preventing/Addressing Psychological Stress in Healthcare. He gave some practical examples of activities that an organization can use to prevent burnout. Many activities take minimal effort, such as setting up a daily check-in with a colleague or a bathroom break handout.
Lisa Thorp, BSN, quality improvement advisor for Great Plains QIN, stated, “Once we started looking for resources and sharing them with our stakeholders, the outcry for continued resources has been humbling.”
Thorp’s colleagues at Quality Health Associates of ND (QHA) assisted in arranging a related presentation on Relational Leadership by Dr. Andrew Morris-Singer, a national consultant on teaming and leadership in healthcare. Studies show healthy work relationships reduce burnout and effective teamwork can improve patient outcomes.
“Teamwork and healthy relationships take effort,” Thorp observed. “Organizations have to think about teaching the basics of communication and having common courtesy with co-workers.”
Dr. Andrew McLean provided additional information about understanding and managing behavior during crises and building resilience to overcome the trauma of stressful conditions during the Resilience- Individual, Organizational, Community webinar.
Thorp reiterates the attendance and response to the events were incredible. Great Plains QIN and QHA plan to continue highlighting resources to address burnout and build resilience with these sentiments in mind.
Source: Great Plains QIN Q Insider Publication February 2022