By Natalie Vaughn, Relias, October 30, 2020
Nurses and doctors experience unexpected challenges daily — challenges that would quickly overwhelm many other individuals. Yet despite the mental and physical toll these challenges take, nurses and doctors are expected to persevere. In fact, many healthcare professionals take pride in their ability to endure long days and high-stress situations. But this attitude often keeps these individuals from engaging in the self-care they need to protect their health. As the saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup and, sadly, many healthcare professionals try to do just that.
The difference between a good healthcare professional and a great one is rarely skill. It comes down to their ability to think critically, act instinctively, and display empathy shift after shift. A healthcare worker’s mental health can have a tremendous effect on all three of these attributes, directly impeding their ability to provide high-quality care.
Regardless of the importance of caring for doctors’ and nurses’ mental and emotional health, stigma surrounding mental health persists. To avoid experiencing this stigma and further exacerbating a culture of lateral violence in healthcare, many healthcare professionals choose to suffer in silence rather than call attention to any mental health challenges they are experiencing.
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