In January 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency and characterised it as a pandemic in March of 2020.
Further to this announcement Fiji reported its first case of the COVID (SARS-COV2) virus in the same month of march of 2020.
Ever since then pubic and the private healthcare system has been has be stretched and frontline workers having been tasked to relentlessly work on containing of the spread of the virus.
Public health measures such as; movement restrictions, hand hygiene, wearing face mask and social distancing were some of the initial measures taken to mitigate its spread.
This still remains in force as part of the Public Health Act, two years since the initial reporting.
This mounting pressure accelerated the burnouts amongst healthcare professionals.
For our readers the Oxford Dictionary defines burnout as; the state of being extremely tired or ill, either physically or mentally, because you have worked too hard .
For a brief period we Fijians enjoyed ease of restrictions’ until the second wave now known to many as a horrifying variant of the virus called “Delta” was recorded.
2021 presented a new set of challenges. Community out breaks, isolation periods for medical personal who were tasked to save the infected, continuing COVID stress and pandemic-related anxieties about family and loved ones.
The risk of contracting the virus, shortages of PPE’s, human resource shortages, logistics’ challenges coupled with global shortages in raw materials affected every nation and Fiji was no exception.
In some healthcare settings staff were required to work more than 18 hours per shift.
It’s 2022, two years after the announcement ,we must have a sense of appreciation of what signs of these burnouts are.
Signs of burnout:
- emotional exhaustion;
- cynicism;
- depersonalisation; and
- low personal achievement.
Consequences of burnout:
i) Health professionals:
- increased rate of medical errors;
- decreased productivity;
- poor patient outcomes; and
- straining an already overstretched medical system.
ii) General population:
- sleep deprivation;
- change in eating habits;
- increased illness due to weakened immune system;
- difficulty concentrating and poor memory/attention;
- poor performance;
- avoidance of responsibilities; and
- loss of enjoyment.
Personal impact of burnouts
(Danger sings):
- depression;
- alcohol abuse; and
- suicidal ideation.
Impact of burnouts on women population
Some research have concluded that; Women were predominant in health-professional roles with high stress levels.
For the study, those levels incorporated stress, fear of exposure, anxiety or depression, and workload.
Such roles include nurses, nursing assistants, medical assistants and social workers.
Women reported are difficult coping with employment burnouts and domestic responsibilities for their loved ones.
Studies have shown that rates for domestic violence and has a significant toll on both psychological and physical well-being.
How to prevent burnouts during pandemic.
Preventing burnout relies on interventions at individual, team, and institutional levels. Research has shown:
- benefits of mindfulness;
- stress-management training;
- exercise programs;
- participation in small-group
programs focusing on community;
- connectedness;
- exercise regularly;
- eat a well-balanced, healthy diet;
- get enough sleep;
- include daily enjoyable “timeouts”, such as yoga, a hobby, or meditation;
- build up your professional and personal support system;
- dedicated family time; and
- meeting with mentors to discuss setbacks, time management strategies, and other perceived barriers meaning in helping providers deal with burnout.
Organisational strategies such as:
- q limiting physician hours, particularly in intensive care units, fever clinics and outreach programs;
- promoting a sense of community and core values; and engaging physicians in establishment of new protocols has been shown to prevent burnout. (Rather than administrative orders).
Conclusion
The mental health impacts of COVID-19 on frontline healthcare workers are undeniable.
While healthcare professional burnout is not new, the pandemic is rapidly accelerating the many negative repercussions of uncertainty and inadequate support, and the consequences are being felt by patients, healthcare workers, and healthcare systems.
However, this time of change is an opportunity for a cultural shift in how we perceive and manage healthcare professional (s) mental health.
Perhaps the tragic events involving self-harm in New York City can serve as a wake-up call to the emotional tolls of caring for COVID-19 patients and our responsibility to support ourselves and our colleagues.
- RAHUL SWAMY is head pharmacist at Oceania Hospitals Pte Ltd. The views expressed are the author’s and do not reflect the views of this newspaper.
