Front line health workers

Front line health care workers are doctors, nurses, other medical staff, and mental health professionals. These individuals have been taking sustained risks and working tirelessly under demanding conditions to support the nation. They have been the nation’s backbone.

It’s time we join our hands and support those supporting us.

In this article, we will try to understand what experiences they have been going through, what can be done for their well-being, and how we can stand alongside them.

Medical health professionals

Since the news of the first lockdown, medical health professionals have been spreading awareness and combating the virus at the same time. They have urged people to follow the Covid safety guidelines to assure our and their wellbeing. It was certainly tricky at first, but we are gradually adapting.

Let us understand what all they go through during this

• Fears

‘I can get infected,’ ‘ my family may get infected because of me’, there is a danger to our life, ‘I can’t spend time with my loved ones’ these are a few of the many thoughts they experience with almost every encounter with a covid patient.

• Increased work backing and responsibility

Medical health professionals have increased responsibility. While the nation stands by and believes in them, they may experience concerns associated with fulfilling this need, absolutely every time. They feel a high level of disappointment if things don’t go right. COVID 19 is a new virus. But, just like it takes time to learn and adapt to something new, unheard, our medical health professionals are working consistently hard to combat this life-threatening pandemic. This takes time; this takes patience.

• Reduced sense of control and an increased feeling of helplessness

These professionals may feel increasingly helpless due to lack of infrastructure arrangement, the tussle of the families, and the disturbing atmosphere due to increasing deaths. This may add to a feeling of being unable to control or manage the situation.

• Disturbed health

Their physiological well-being has been as affected as their psychological well being. Lack of sleep, inability to eat, and much more.

As a medical health professional, you can follow the below tips and tricks to overcome these concerns:-

• Continue using the healthy coping methods that have helped you so far

This could be conversing and engaging in short group activities with colleagues such as having food together, singing or quick dancing! This will help you feel that you are not alone. Try spending quality time with family, children, whenever possible!

• Reach out to a helpline

Psychological helplines provide a space to be listened to empathetically. It aids you in the process of crisis management. It can be based on available time and can be of short duration.

• In case of concerns becoming overwhelming

When your phone battery reduces or is about to switch off, we attempt to charge it so that it functions the way it should. If we continue using it regardless, it will stop working. Similarly, it may be necessary to ‘charge’ oneself to keep going. To do so, we can seek the help of mental health professionals. So the better the functioning of this system, the better it will fulfill its duties.

What can the nation do?

Acknowledge our officials’ work and respect them following the protocol that guarantees ours and their safety. Avoid the spread of any wrong information which can induce stress, recheck facts, consult professionals and then convey the message.