‘We are talking more about mental health’: Healthcare workers feeling the pandemic’s toll
By Joey Safchik
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OMAHA, Neb. (KETV) — Inside the places where health is always top of mind, doctors, nurses and other hospital workers are learning to take care of not only their patients, but one another.
“Overall, morale is a bit low, I would say,” said Dr. Daniel Jones, a critical care physician at Nebraska Med. “I’ve noticed that colleagues are encouraging each other a lot more to just talk about how they’re feeling.”
According to Mental Health America, 76 percent of healthcare workers feel burnt out because of the pandemic.
“That’s frustrating to know that this level of illness was preventable and yet it wasn’t prevented,” said Dr. Johnson.
About 40 percent say they don’t have the emotional support they need.
“We know that not having social support is as bad for your health as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day,” said Dr. David Cates, Director of Behavioral Health for Nebraska Med. “I still think there are more people who need help than are reaching out for it.”
As the Delta Strain grips Nebraska, Cates fears support for healthcare workers has slipped away.
“If people can find a way to recognize and show appreciation to healthcare workers, I know they would appreciate that,” said Cates.
Doctor Johnson looks forward to the day when the hospital can resume elective surgeries. Although they’re called “elective,” he said they can greatly improve a patient’s quality of life.
“When we have to put those things on hold, which we do because we don’t have enough beds, that’s really frustrating for healthcare workers as well,” said Johnson.
While the pandemic can’t end soon enough, Doctor Cates hopes the emphasis on mental health in healthcare is here to stay.
“Fortunately one silver lining is we are talking more about mental health,” said Cates.
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