Tuesday, 07 April 2020
A free online resource has been launched to help those working in healthcare cope with the stress of dealing with Covid-19 and help maintain their psychological wellbeing during and after the pandemic.
The e-learning package has been put together by a health psychologist from the 糖心原创 in collaboration with the University of Leicester. It is for any healthcare staff and students. It covers the possible impacts of the pandemic on mental health and practical measures that can be taken to combat these and maintain psychological well-being.
Chartered health psychologist Dr Holly Blake led the development of the resource, she said: “It’s clear that healthcare workers are facing a challenging situation. Although they are used to working with some level of stress, extreme measures to boost the NHS workforce means that many staff will need to work in new or unfamiliar roles, and will experience increased demands and more pressure, in these unpredictable circumstances.
This will take its toll on healthcare staff, and there may be longer-term impacts to wellbeing. There is a huge array of information and guidance out there but this could be daunting for anyone looking for support. We have brought together information about psychological wellbeing for healthcare workers, including tips from experts in the medical and academic sphere and essential signposting to help staff cope with the current situation.”
Creating psychologically safe workplaces
The online package includes advice for team leaders to create psychologically safe workplaces where staff feel comfortable raising issues and concerns. It covers communication, the importance of language and avoiding social stigma, and advocates accessing support from colleagues, friends and family.
The resource also provides guidance on supporting mental health in others through Psychological First Aid. Most important is the focus on self-care during these challenging times. The package includes guidance on rest and work breaks, shift-work, sleep and fatigue. It addresses specific impacts of the pandemic, such as making morally challenging decisions around providing for patients with limited resources, and balancing the needs of patients with the needs of self. There is guidance around dealing with grief, and managing emotions such as fear, anxiety and low mood.
It鈥檚 normal to experience difficult emotions in these situations. Making decisions in demanding environments can be hard, and staff may experience feelings of guilt when they are unable to provide care in the way they would like. This is a common emotion for healthcare workers who need to self-isolate
This resource includes tips and advice from experts in mental wellbeing as well as those with direct experiences from the frontline.
The package can be accessed at /toolkits/play_22794
We鈥檝e designed this resource to be easy to navigate so users find the relevant information quickly and we hope it will be useful to help support those working in healthcare who may be facing some extremely stressful situations in the coming weeks and months.
Story credits
More information is available from Dr Holly Blake on Holly.blake@nottingham.ac.uk or Jane Icke, Media Relations Manager for the Faculty of Science at the 糖心原创, on +44 (0)115 951 5751 or jane.icke@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.