How Being a Health Worker Impacts Mental Health
Coronavirus Shone a Light on Health Workers' Mental Health, but Their Struggles Aren't New
Dr. Annie Park: Anaesthesiologist and Interventional Pain Physician, San Diego, CA
PS: Can you describe your prepandemic work life and how it changed during the pandemic?
Dr. Annie Park: Prepandemic work life was likely very similar to many anaesthesiologists: I took care of patients in both the perioperative and intraoperative environments, and also performed interventional pain procedures for chronic pain patients. During the pandemic, the process of going to work is much the same, but my institution started the use of screening questions and temperature checks upon arrival to work, and a specialised "intubation team" of anaesthesiologists was created specifically for the emergent management of COVID-19 patients and their airways. We engaged in a significant amount of training in order to become comfortable with donning and doffing of our protective equipment.
PS: Are you familiar with the concept of vicarious trauma as a health worker? And if so, do you believe vicarious trauma or PTSD is a common experience among health works?
AP: Yes, this is a concept I am familiar with, but my awareness of this concept has not prevented me from having a continued desire to make an effort to engage empathetically with all my patients. The relationships I build with my patients are some of the most rewarding elements of my career as a physician. Due to our roles as caregivers, and a tendency to try our best to empathise with our patients, I personally do think healthcare workers have increased likelihood to experience vicarious trauma, in comparison to a person who does not work in healthcare.
PS: How does being a health worker impact your mental health in a positive and/or negative way, and has this changed during the pandemic?
"Being a physician uniquely melds a mandate for a mastery of the sciences with the human condition. I have always been enormously grateful for the incredible trust my patients place in me to provide their care."
AP: I think being a healthcare worker and working as a physician have had a tremendously positive impact on my mental health. Being a physician uniquely melds a mandate for a mastery of the sciences with the human condition. I have always been enormously grateful for the incredible trust my patients place in me to provide their care. That feeling of gratitude keeps me feeling joyful, no matter what. This pandemic adds stress and anxiety to our lives, and the future is unknown to all of us — but I've never been happier and prouder to be a physician.
PS: In my experience, a lot of health workers don't believe they require (or perhaps, deserve) psychological support or assistance for "simply doing their jobs." What is your experience with this, and has your perspective changed since the pandemic began?
AP: I do not think my perspective on this issue has changed since the pandemic began. I personally believe that if healthcare workers need psychological support or assistance, they ought to be able to obtain the support they need.
PS: Were you offered psychological support, and is there any service you wish you had been offered to cope better during the pandemic?
AP: Even prior to the pandemic, our institution had great access to psychological support for workers. We were reminded by our leadership during the pandemic that this resource was available to us should any of us need it.
PS: Through the pandemic, health workers were hailed as heroes working the frontlines — the mainstream conversation was reminiscent of soldiers going to war. How did this hero status make you feel?
AP: I don't feel particularly heroic for simply going to work everyday, so perhaps I feel a little embarrassed by the applause. I am glad that many more people are aware of the role that anaesthesiologists play in the hospital setting as a result of the pandemic. Our specialty, in particular, and our role as "airway experts" has been thrown into the spotlight.
PS: Do you think the work you have done during the pandemic will affect you long-term, psychologically, or in a different way than your pre-COVID workload did?
AP: No, I don't think that my work during the pandemic will affect me long-term, psychologically, but I do think I will never forget the connections made and relationships forged during this time. Since this pandemic is unprecedented during my lifetime, I think I will always remember this period of my life.