Staying psychologically safe as a doctor during the COVID-19 pandemic

As we face the ongoing global pandemic of COVID-19, doctors, nurses, ambulance officers, paramedics and many other health workers answer the call to serve in time pressured, unfamiliar, chaotic and often traumatic environments.1 We know how to look after ourselves in an infectious physical environment, but it is equally important to look after ourselves psychologically at this time. We have all been exposed in different ways, for instance, the role of a General Practitioner (Family Physician) will vary in the different healthcare systems throughout the world—some will be at the forefront, others will be doing telehealth, or may find themselves back in a hospital situation. With long hours, an often unmanageable workload, lack of personal protection equipment, distressed patients, fake news and the prospect of this continuing into the future, doctors are at high risk of burn-out.1–3 The features of burn-out are emotional exhaustion, low personal accomplishment and depersonalisation, and the consequences of burn-out on the doctors and their patients can be profound and long-lasting.2–4 In crises, doctors are also at risk of vicarious trauma as we listen to stories from our patients of illness, death, grief, hardship, unemployment, domestic violence and suicide.5 This is at a time when we are physically distancing from our family and friends, with little time to exercise and possibly without sufficient access to healthy food or fresh air.

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/17566

Editora

Grupo editorial BMJ

DOI

10.1136/fmch-2021-001553

Coleções

FCB2-Artigos (em revistas ou actas indexadas)

Licença CC

cclicense-by-nc

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