The Clinical Management of COVID: How It’s Affecting Your Workforce

No one could have predicted the enormous impact COVID-19 would have on our world, even years later. Our frontline healthcare workers are one of the most significant populations affected, still suffering the pandemic's effects. Now, we are just beginning to understand how the clinical management of COVID is having a lasting impact on our healthcare system and healthcare workers.?

Let’s examine what clinical management strategies are necessary to help healthcare workers cope with the lasting psychological and emotional trauma from this pandemic.?

Why Clinical Strategies Are Needed for Post-Pandemic Trauma?

The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the most challenging times for healthcare workers across the world. Unfortunately, many clinical management errors were made along the way, resulting in lasting post-pandemic trauma plaguing the healthcare system. Some of the most notable obstacles and errors made at the clinical management level are:?

• Long working hours with inadequate rest and breaks?
• Staffing shortages?
• Inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE)?
• A lack of necessary resources and medical equipment?
• A failure to acknowledge and address the mental and emotional toll the pandemic had on frontline healthcare workers?
• A lack of mental health resources and support for frontline healthcare workers throughout the pandemic?

Even though the pandemic subsided, many healthcare workers across the globe are suffering from post-pandemic trauma. The best way to combat this is to implement necessary clinical strategies. This way, we can support healthcare workers to overcome and cope with the mental and emotional trauma they suffered.?

What is Post-Pandemic Trauma in Clinical Work??

Post-pandemic trauma is a mental health condition that millions of clinical workers are facing. After being subjected to highly stressful situations amid a global pandemic, many healthcare workers are suffering with their mental health. There are a variety of symptoms associated with post-pandemic trauma, some of which include:?

• Anxiety
• Depression?
• Sleeplessness
• A feeling of hopelessness
• And in some cases, increased alcohol or medication use?

This particular form of trauma affects healthcare workers, their families, and the quality of patient care. However, the prevalence of post-pandemic trauma among healthcare workers is not surprising. The amount of stress and personal health risks healthcare professionals took working during the pandemic were insurmountable. This is why it’s time to face the issue head-on and thoroughly address the stressors in clinical work. Ultimately, we need to take better care of healthcare workers.?

Clinical Management Strategies to Help Your Workforce?

Healthcare organizations and administrators must focus on implementing clinical management strategies that support the mental and emotional well-being of healthcare workers affected by the pandemic. These strategies should not only be reactive, but more importantly, they should be proactive.?

Strategies should address the root causes of PTSD, anxiety, and depression since most of the healthcare workforce experiences these conditions. Additionally, tools to help manage stress levels and find a healthy work-life balance are a must.?

Here are clinical management strategies that can and should be implemented to support the healthcare workforce across the globe:?

• Self-Help + (SH+) stress management intervention?
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?
• Mindfulness exercises?
• Telemedicine centers and strategies to help reduce the daily workload?
• Healthy coping skills training to avoid substance abuse and excessive alcohol or caffeine use.?
• Develop peer support groups?
• Medication as needed and prescribed?
• Psychotherapy?
• Allotted time for self-care and ample staffing to ensure healthcare workers are taking time for self-care?

The above resources need to be readily available and made a priority for all healthcare teams. Our healthcare professionals put their lives on the line to save the lives of others. Now, it is time for us to put together all the resources together that we can to save their lives too.?

Find a Recruitment Agency That Cares

Highmark Recruiting Solutions cares deeply about the well-being of healthcare workers and their organizations. For a recruitment strategy that tailors to your unique needs, reach out today.