Self-care guidelines for health and social sector professionals
Healthcare and social sector professionals have been under enormous pressure for months due to the continuous waves of critical COVID-19 peaks. The first wave was devastating because of its intensity, the lack of resources and knowledge, and the fear and shock of seeing thousands of people die every day.
When the second wave of COVID-19 arrived last fall, healthcare teams had barely recovered, barely processed what they had experienced. We then saw the first data on the impact on the mental health of these professionals . Almost half of the healthcare professionals were at risk of developing a mental health disorder, especially anxiety and depression. At the same time, 1 in 7, or 14.5%, presented with a disabling mental disorder, with clear negative repercussions on their professional and social lives.
The collective of health professionals, amongst the most impacted by Covid-19
The social and economic crisis left in the wake of this pandemic has put social sector professionals on high alert, as they witness the situation worsening daily. An Oxfam report warns that the pandemic will drive poverty to unprecedented levels in Spain, reaching 5.1 million people living in severe poverty.
We are currently facing a third wave of COVID-19 with a healthcare system under immense strain. Furthermore, new uncertainties are emerging regarding the evolution of, for example, the British strain, which the Ministry of Health is already warning of as having a significant impact due to its potential to cause an increase in hospitalizations and deaths, given its high transmissibility and the possible greater severity of infections.
In these adverse circumstances, it is more important than ever that frontline professionals take care of themselves and seek help from the mental health resources that their companies make available to them when they need it.
This is a good opportunity to review some self-care guidelines for healthcare professionals to help them cope with emotional distress. Here, we share some recommendations from the Mental Health Network team at Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu.
Self-care recommendations:
- Take care of your basic needs
Eating proper meals, staying hydrated, and sleeping are essential for maintaining our physical and mental health, as well as providing good care to the people we care for.
- Take care of working relationships
During the workday, it can be comforting to talk to colleagues, explain how we are feeling and what worries us, help each other, and praise each other.
- Take care of your time outside of work
The hours we spend outside of work are crucial for recharging and facing the next day. For this reason, it's important to dedicate these hours to activities we enjoy (exercising, reading, spending time with family, etc.). In this regard, it's also necessary to protect this time from anything that exposes us to information about the virus situation.
- Take care of your mental health
While the points above help us take care of our mental health, it's important to identify our unpleasant emotions and allow ourselves to feel them, because they are normal and necessary. However, when the symptoms described at the beginning appear with great intensity and persist over time, we may need the support of a mental health team.
- Take care of your social connections
Family and friends can be a great source of comfort. They can also help us express how we feel during these difficult times. For those we love who don't live with us, resources like Skype or FaceTime can help us feel closer to them.
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