This is dedicated to every frontline worker who showed up in the worst of it and continued to show up no matter what. I salute you as I stand beside you.
This last year has been a whirlwind for so many healthcare workers with the increased tension of the political climate, exposure to videos of people being killed by police officers, and the neverending coverage and conversation of the coronavirus. In all of this change and transition, healthcare workers have kept it pushing. For those who have endured the virus, lost loved ones or colleagues, or cared for the thousands of patients who were afflicted by the virus, our lives have never stopped moving despite what was going on around us. There has been little time to heal, reflect, or recenter our emotions as we continue to be impacted by the fallout of this global pandemic.
After large-scale tragedies, many companies bring in and provide grief counseling services on-site for the staff that may have been impacted. This direct care is a bridge for those who may need more intensive therapy, but who may not have the strength to take the steps to complete the process. I can tell you right now that healthcare workers are not doing well mentally despite their ability to keep showing up. The resources that they need may be available to them, but they may not have the energy to reach out and research who is available and taking new patients.
There are a lot of services being offered for healthcare workers for free online, but the emotional labor that it takes for someone to reach out to those services can sometimes be more than they can handle. Having grief counseling or services on the unit is more beneficial and could be motivating to those who have not reached out for help. One of my favorite mental health therapists, Dr. Jaquinda Jackson, is constantly reminding me of all of the trauma that we have endured over the last year.
Please do not think that you are alone and that the rest of us are moving on. Many of us can mask grief better than others. Tap into the resources that you have or ask for help to get you to those resources that you need.
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