____________ Management of Post-Traumatic and Secondary Traumatic Stress in Healthcare Professionals
broaden awareness of the threat that healthcare worker burn- out poses to the nation’s health (Murthy, 2022). Public aware- ness and support will be essential to ensuring sustained action. At the federal level, the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act of 2022 and billions of dollars in funding from the 2021 American Rescue Plan will provide new infrastruc- ture and resources to strengthen programs affecting healthcare workers’ well-being. These resources support increased mental health services, healthcare workforce expansion, loan forgive- ness programs for health professionals, more robust public health infrastructure, and well-being education programs for healthcare workers (Sindhu & Adashi, 2022). This is a promising step to address and improve the mental health of healthcare professionals. STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS BURNOUT Recognizing burnout is a good first step to find solutions. It is important to recognize and engage in strategies to address burnout quickly. When burnout is not addressed and treated, it can lead to symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and secondary traumatic stress disorder (STS). An effective strategy to address burnout is to focus on relationships—the importance of spending quality time with family, friends, and significant others. This strategy also includes actively develop- ing connections with colleagues, sharing and reflecting with them about the emotional and existential aspects of being a healthcare professional (De Hert, 2020). Self-care practices such as exercise, self-expression activities, adequate nutrition and sleep, regular medical care, professional counseling, and an ability to maintain a healthy work–life balance are impera- tive to challenge burnout. Employers are encouraged to take an active role in identify- ing burnout, addressing its causes, and offering treatment for employee burnout. Employees’ overall well-being affects the delivery of care to clients and patients. To promote employee connection and collaboration with one another, employers are developing a culture of recognition. By creating a safe space for employees to connect and communicate about mentally challenging workplace situations, they can feel noticed, heard, and recognized. Leaders are paying more attention to employee feedback and responding to concerns. Following the pandemic, employers have been encouraging mental wellness more than ever before. Employers are offering more time for communica- tion, decreasing stress, and increasing flexibility during shift work to help support burned out employees. Employers now understand more about burnout and how it directly affects the company, so they have started investing in psychological support. Some companies are offering free counseling, encour- aging the use of employee assistance programs, and holding group sessions to discuss difficult cases. Ignoring the effects of burnout will decrease employee retention and job satisfaction, making the difficult work more challenging.
INTRODUCTION Job burnout, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and secondary traumatic stress disorder (STS) are consequences of extreme job demands in the healthcare profession. Such demands may include frequent and intense contact with traumatized clients and chronic exposure to traumatic con- tent at work. PTSD has long-term physical and psychological complications that can affect health and lifelong functioning. In the aftermath of the pandemic, many healthcare profession- als are feeling the effects of trauma from caring for physically and mentally ill populations. Figley (1983) defined STS as stress deriving from helping others who are suffering or who have been traumatized. The purpose of this course is to help healthcare professionals identify burnout as well as PTSD and STS symptoms, and how to engage in early intervention, which can include psychological and pharmacological treatment. This course will differentiate between types of trauma, explain how the body responds to trauma, and explore various treatment options. Healthcare professionals are exposed to traumatic situations every day, which takes a toll on them personally and professionally. By developing strategies to combat the negative effects of caring for others, healthcare professionals can maintain functional, productive, happy lives. The physical and mental well-being of healthcare professionals directly affects the patients/clients that they serve; therefore, recognizing the effects of trauma is imperative for quality care. SYMPTOMS OF BURNOUT IN THE WORKPLACE THAT CAN LEAD TO PTSD AND STS Job burnout generally refers to a response to a broad range of occupational stressors and it is often characterized by symptoms such as emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, or a lack of personal accomplishment. There are many possible variables that can cause job burnout, such as feeling a lack of control or an inability to make decisions about your job. Some employees feel unclear about their job expectations or are employed in a dysfunctional workplace environment. Feeling isolated at work or having a poor work–life balance can increase stress. The healthcare profession includes many variables of burnout causes. The consequences of burnout include excessive stress, exhaustion, insomnia, irritability, high blood pressure, and more. Addressing burnout in healthcare professionals is not easy. On May 23, 2022, the Surgeon General’s Advisory on health worker burnout and well-being declared this crisis a national priority and called the nation to action with specific directives for health systems, insurers, the government, training institu- tions, and other stakeholders. The advisory also intended to
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