The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the already stressful careers of healthcare workers: increased numbers of patients, sicker patients, staffing shortages, PPE shortages, fear of contracting COVID and bringing it home to loved ones, managing remote school, etc.
All have contributed to increasing stress levels and mental health issues for frontline workers in healthcare settings. While some of these things have settled as the pandemic has come under better control (improved supply chain, vaccines to protect HCWs), others have persisted and intensified with more recent surges and the need for healthcare to resume business as usual.
It is incumbent on those of us who care for healthcare workers to consider how to support them through this stressful time and provide options to keep them healthy both in body and in mind.
Froedtert Health is a healthcare system serving Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin. With three hospitals, multiple clinics, and about 16,000 employees, it has experienced typical stressors previously and added all of those identified above over the course of the past two years. In addition to our own employees, we also serve as the occupational health provider for the Medical College of Wisconsin, their students and residents, and Wisconsin Diagnostic Laboratories. These add about 5,000 additional lives to our occupational health responsibilities.
Prior to the pandemic, we had instituted a number of measures to assist our employees. These included bringing an employee assistance program in-house and having EAP counselors available on our main campus in person and via phone for those at outlying facilities. A “code orange” program at each hospital allows employees to use a phone to report safety and welfare concerns, and these calls are handled by the counselors who are supervised by our behavioral health department. This program was well-received prior to the pandemic and has grown over the past two years.
In addition to EAP, our Workforce Health team has an intranet page with many other self-care resources that employees can access easily. These include webinars on a range of topics, mindfulness messaging, a healthy kitchen with easy recipes, and other options. We also offer the opportunity for employees to become Well-Being Champions. Those who are interested can sign up for training and then act to promote wellness and opportunities in their departments by posting fliers and engaging coworkers in the many activities we offer throughout the year.
In an effort to help support employees who have been involved in a traumatic situation, a peer support program called SOS (Supporting Our Staff) was developed in early 2019. Through this program, trained volunteers provide support and resources to their coworkers to prevent them from becoming “second victims.” Research has shown that healthcare workers can suffer emotional distress after certain high-risk events, including:
If assistance is not available, there can be a downward spiral resulting in poor job performance absenteeism/presenteeism, and potentially loss of the employee.
Our Workforce Health Department also operates onsite workplace clinics, where employees can see an advanced practice provider (APP) and access care and resources to support their health. One of the options an APP can prescribe for employees dealing with mental health issues is the SilverCloud app. SilverCloud is an evidence-based, online, cognitive-behavioral therapy program for patients dealing with depression, anxiety, and/or stress and was developed in conjunction with world-leading partners from academic and medical institutions. SilverCloud programs are designed to be easy to use, educational, motivational, interactive, and tailored to the unique needs of the patient. For the first 12 weeks of the program, a digital behavioral supporter will contact users and review their progress. After 12 weeks, patients graduate from regular reviews and may continue to self-educate for one full year.
The above interventions reflect what our health system has done to try to support employees over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are many other ways that an occupational health program or employer can care for caregivers. For some additional information, please see the following resources:
Morganstein, Joshua C. MD; Flynn, Brian W. EdD Enhancing Psychological Sustainment & Promoting Resilience in Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 & Beyond, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine: June 2021 – Volume 63 – Issue 6 – p 482-489 doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002184
https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/resilient/index.htm
