The health care field demands 24/7 attention to the needs of others. Vital components of this commitment are often lost, however, when health care workers themselves need support and self-care.
Perhaps one of the greatest myths about the health care profession is that those who are trained to care for others can somehow resolve their own psychological issues without ever faltering.
Even though health care professionals experience unprecedented levels of stress and mental health issues, the stigma around help-seeking remains rampant.
Admitting that they are struggling with their mental health can feel like a sign of weakness and incompetence.
Health care organisations must ensure that a culture of mental health is established. This involves promoting overall wellness through local ordinances protecting social determinants of health, investing in mental health resources, and creating a culture that is open about issues relating to mental wellbeing.
When the health care system begins to treat mental health as no different from physical health, this will help break down barriers and contribute towards a strong workforce.
Of course, self-care and personal support systems are imperative, but health care workers should not be left to shoulder the burden of vaccine-seeking on their own.
It is the responsibility of health care organisations to establish environments in which employees’ mental health can thrive. This entails providing enough support, having work-life balance policies in place, and working to remove any mental health stigma.
Comprehensive wellness programmes remain one of the most impactful ways that health care organisations help their employees. However, these programmes must have more than basic health benefits and should also include resources specific to mental health. These could encompass counselling services, workshops for stress management or mindfulness training, and peer-to-peer support mechanisms.
It is also necessary that wellness programmes should guide health care workers towards preventive measures, whereby they are trained undertake actions to manage their mental health.
Many health care providers work many hours of overtime, and the pressures of the job can lead some to request additional shifts or responsibilities.
Despite potential challenges in the health care system, it is important for organisations to focus on work-life balance. This could include options for flexible work hours, better staff to decrease the chances of overworking, and encouraging vacations.
Promoting breaks for health care workers does not only contributes positively towards mental health, but also enhances patient care quality. A health care worker who is getting enough sleep and is healthy psychologically will be able to deliver more compassionate and attentive care, thereby leading to better outcomes for patients.
The mental, psychological, and physical wellbeing of health care workers should be seen as a common responsibility not only of the individual but also their peers and the institutions that employ them.
Promoting self-care, peer support and mental health-friendly workplaces can enable health care professionals to build resilience in the face of such challenges.
Dr Chee Kwan Foong is from the School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.
