Spring CE 2022- Burnout / Moral Injury

RR
by rdpsqandd rdpsqandd23 views·Updated Jan 14, 2022
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  1. Hey everyone, it's brian from peer support here.
  2. It's been another difficult year
  3. and if recent events are any indication it looks
  4. like we still have a little ways to go.
  5. I want to start off today by commending everyone for having each other's backs
  6. and looking out for one another as we continue to navigate the situation,
  7. I'm sure we can all agree that the frequent down staffing
  8. increased call volumes and persistent covid
  9. considerations have really taken their toll,
  10. but our camaraderie
  11. initiative and dedication have truly kept the service running.
  12. None of this has come without a cost. However,
  13. and with that
  14. I wanted to bring some attention to a term we're hearing now more than ever
  15. Burnett,
  16. it's a term that's been around forever.
  17. But through the pandemic we continue to see it flooding our
  18. social media and hearing it more frequently among conversations with colleagues.
  19. Burnout on the rise in healthcare workers,
  20. he's working with bobby so burnt,
  21. they've only been on for a year. How are they? So burnt out.
  22. Burnout can be described as a combination of emotional exhaustion,
  23. cynicism, and loss of morale and motivation.
  24. Typically these feelings can arise when we feel like we're not valued,
  25. there are unclear expectations,
  26. repetitive work with minimal control
  27. and a chaotic high pressure environment.
  28. Sound familiar
  29. and many of us have been frustrated by systemic issues here for years.
  30. But obviously with the pandemic, these feelings have spread and grown
  31. nearly all of us have felt or are feeling this way right now.
  32. But I want to challenge that mindset given what we're all going through
  33. what if most of what we're feeling lately is not burnt it.
  34. It's not just a result of us lacking coping skills, needing more resiliency,
  35. needing to stop complaining and just do our jobs.
  36. What if we were actually injured?
  37. Moral injuries occur when we're repeatedly expected in the course of trying to
  38. do our work to make choices that contradict our values and beliefs,
  39. moral injuries happen because there's an imbalance between what
  40. we believe we should do or would like to do
  41. and what the system actually allows us to.
  42. How many of us feel frustrated,
  43. discouraged and even angry when we can't provide
  44. the care that we've been trained for.
  45. And we've all felt frustrated going to a code for abdo pain while there's a. V. S.
  46. A around the corner
  47. hearing a high acuity call while we're stuck on offload delay
  48. or asking for more resources in a chaotic scene and being told there are non descent
  49. these all go against our sense of what is right and
  50. what is wrong and they may actually be injuring us emotionally.
  51. I think it's important to consider that many of us are not burnt out.
  52. We are suffering from repeated moral injuries that contradicts our
  53. beliefs of what is right and what is wrong.
  54. These beliefs may be subjective and they may differ from person to person,
  55. but the commonality is that we are all suffering
  56. from a lack of support in a failing system
  57. and I really want to stress that there is nothing wrong with us
  58. under the circumstances.
  59. These feelings are totally valid and normal and
  60. many healthcare workers are sharing our experiences.
  61. I think this is especially true for our newer colleagues
  62. have started their careers in this time of uncertainty.
  63. They have been thrown into situations
  64. requiring the most consideration and diligence
  65. and arguably they've had the least amount of training and preparedness.
  66. But for all of us,
  67. this prolonged exposure to unsettling situations and frustrations
  68. beyond our control have sapped our empathy.
  69. We're exhausted
  70. and many of us are running on empty.
  71. Empathy refers to our ability to understand and relate to others thoughts,
  72. feelings and emotions.
  73. It helps us provide better care for our patients
  74. and improves interactions with colleagues and allied services.
  75. But when we continuously suffer from moral injuries are empathy or our cup
  76. dwindles and when it's gone we stopped caring.
  77. So what can we do
  78. when unhelpful emotions emerge?
  79. It's important to acknowledge what's been activated and employ strategies
  80. to create a temporary distance from that emotional response.
  81. The goal is not to push down these emotions and feelings, but rather shelve them.
  82. And functional disconnection is a strategy that helps us perform our job
  83. effectively in these stressful moments by
  84. safely disconnecting from these troubling situations.
  85. One of the best things we can do is acknowledge what is in our control and what is not
  86. as frustrating as these systemic failures are.
  87. Many of them are outside of our control
  88. and giving them power only serves to drain what little reserves we have left
  89. acknowledging and naming the feelings you're experiencing
  90. may also help to disconnect from the situation
  91. how many of us already do this inherently,
  92. especially in the context of a difficult call.
  93. Maybe you get that sensation of flipping into work mode
  94. and feel like when you have your uniform one, you're a little bit different.
  95. Maybe you're more assertive, more calculated,
  96. more in control.
  97. This is all functional disconnection.
  98. We do what we're trained to do in a moment and set aside
  99. some of our feelings and emotions to help us effectively complete our work.
  100. But difficulties may arise when we're never able to reconnect to those feelings
  101. and emotions after the call is over for the day is done.
  102. The functional re connection helps us switch our
  103. brains from work mode back to personal mode,
  104. which helps to maintain our mental reserves of patience and empathy
  105. not only for work but more importantly for
  106. our relationships and interactions outside of our job.
  107. To help us transition from work mode to personal loan.
  108. It can be helpful to create some rituals or habits that signify leaving work bond.
  109. This can include changing your uniform at base,
  110. reflecting on the day with your partner as long as you remember to include at least a
  111. few positive moments or allowing yourself a portion
  112. of your drive home to think about the day
  113. setting a physical landmark on your commute,
  114. at which point you figuratively leave work behind.
  115. Another approach to minimize moral injuries through the day might include taking
  116. an intentional quiet break outside in the truck while you're on offload.
  117. Or consider using a mantra to remind yourself of the division between work and self.
  118. Something like
  119. this is just work.
  120. It's not my whole life and it's not who I am.
  121. These actions can help us prevent and even heal after moral injuries by creating
  122. space for safe disconnection and allowing us to leave work and stress behind.
  123. This effectively allows us to reengage and replenish some of our empathy
  124. and mental reserves to foster relationships and interests outside of work.
  125. You may have noticed these going home checklists posted
  126. by the swipe out clocks in each station.
  127. We created these in hopes that they would serve as a reminder to transition
  128. back to home mode and leave the stress and challenges of work behind.
  129. Over the last two years, we have been
  130. asked to work under some of the most stressful conditions in recent history.
  131. This compounded by systemic failures is wearing us thinner than ever before.
  132. I
  133. just want to remind everyone that there is nothing wrong with us.
  134. We are not just burnt out metrics.
  135. We are doing our best to perform our duties and care for
  136. our patients in a system that is actively working against us.
  137. We can't control the circumstances we find ourselves in,
  138. but we can control how we react.
  139. Please continue to lean on your support networks, friends, family,
  140. trusted colleagues and mental health professionals, and as always,
  141. your peer support team is here for you.
  142. Should you need resources, advice or just an ear.
  143. I am so proud to work alongside so many truly amazing and dedicated,
  144. selfless people.
  145. But please remember your health is most important.
  146. Be proactive about your mental wellness and know your limits
  147. and continue to take care of each other.
  148. Stay safe, everyone.