Você se depara com casos desafiadores de pacientes. Como você protege seu bem-estar emocional?

Prioritize basic self-care practices like getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and engaging in regular physical activity. These help build resilience and manage stress. Take breaks throughout the day to recharge, even if it's just a few minutes of deep breathing or a short walk. Engage in hobbies and activities outside of work that bring you joy and relaxation.

Deep breathing, good and adequate sleep, healthy foods balanced with comfort foods, aline time, time with my support system, remembering it's not about me.

Your skills are to assist the person, separation from their life drama is essential and not your emotional baggage to carry away. By keeping your diet, sleep, exercise and hobbies in regular check, that is your task for well being. If you are not looking after yourself, it is difficult to care for others. Refocus on your daily intentions after a heavy episode. Quiet time and productive self time.

Physical therapy, mindfulness, recreational activities, sports, outdoor adventures, reading hobbies all contribute to prevent burn out, vicarious trauma, stress and fatigue.

You've highlighted a crucial aspect of patient advocacy. Establishing emotional boundaries is indeed essential to maintain both effectiveness and personal well-being. It's about finding that delicate balance between empathy and self-care. By acknowledging your feelings without letting them overwhelm you, you can stay compassionate while also protecting your emotional health. This approach not only helps prevent burnout but also ensures you can continue to provide strong support for those who depend on you. How do you usually manage your emotional boundaries in challenging situations?

Sometimes recognizing that a boundary has been crossed is the biggest challenge, especially for caregivers who are compassionate. Good self-care involves gaining perspective about healthy boundaries, in order to better serve those in our care.

One thing I found is that I like to keep it on the "I" not the "You". It's a lot on how the information is delivered, and body language. In that case you want to connect with the person not push them farther in the crisis they may be swallowed by. Validate what is being said and control your own thoughts and try not to personalize the situation at hand. We are there to help and at most important listen, learn who your patient is and if you don't know try and understand them and what is propelled at that moment. Safety is paramount and we all want to deescalate best way we can, remember not to judge that person for we have not walked in their shoes and be professional

I agree that establishing a an emotional boundary is necessary for self preservation. It's okay to be caring, compassionate and empathetic but one must always know when to step back, or refer to someone else to prevent burnout. During the height of Covid Pandemic , one of my nurses reminded me that while the team appreciate everything I was doing for them and the patients; I need to put my own Oxygen Mask on first and that changed my mindset and prevented me from burning out as I realize that they needed me to remain the strong force that is emotionally available for all of them and them for me.

Bingo. Being truly caring and compassionate comes so naturally to many people, and yet it is something that can also become a danger. "Compassion Fatigue" or "Compassion Burnout" can happen when a healthcare team member is SO emotionally invested that it does hinder the care that can be provided, or it causes the caregiver to become more hardened, less caring and compassionate than their baseline. Work to identify moment where compassion or empathy are appropriate, and where they are not. Recognize in yourself any signs/symptoms of early compassion fatigue and work to reduce overall stress, eat well, sleep well, exercise, and make time for other activities. Our patients rely on us to successfully manage our emotional boundaries.

Peer support is the vital part of advocacy. However we can not be available 24/7. Separating home life from work life is balance. Healthy boundaries and support from your organization while also knowing the ethical structures put in place help us to do our job best.

Absolutely, peer support is invaluable in patient advocacy. It fosters a sense of community and understanding, allowing advocates to share their experiences and strategies for coping with the unique stresses of their roles. This mutual encouragement can be a powerful source of strength, especially when facing challenging cases. Knowing that others are navigating similar challenges can significantly boost emotional resilience and provide a much-needed sense of solidarity. How has peer support impacted your experience in patient advocacy?

Peer Support is essential - it's a community that understands your lived experience and and can support you by just listening or offering encouragement. It is always great to know you are not alone. Peer Support can also an Accountability Partner who will make sure you're practicing self care.

Asking a few colleagues about what approach to take a situation can help send you in the right direction when you may still be deciding options. It can also help you learn more about similar experiences, policies you are unfamiliar with or who to seek advice from.

In the demanding field of bedside healthcare, peer support is crucial for healthcare professionals facing immense challenges and distressing realities on a daily basis. These dedicated individuals are regularly exposed to the most heartbreaking aspects of human suffering, from tending to the medical needs of the homeless to caring for victims of abuse. The overwhelming weight of these encounters necessitates the solidarity and empathy of peers to unburden their heavy hearts and find the emotional strength to continue their vital role. Peer support is the crucial scaffolding that allows these caregivers to continue their challenging work with resilience, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to serving society's most vulnerable members.

Debriefing with peer support involves regularly scheduled sessions, particularly after challenging incidents, where healthcare professionals gather in a confidential, non-judgmental environment to discuss their experiences and emotions. These sessions use guided questions to structure the discussion, allowing for emotional expression, active listening, and collaborative problem-solving. This process fosters a supportive network, where peers validate each other’s feelings, brainstorm solutions to challenges, and provide ongoing support through systems like buddy partnerships or mentoring programs, ultimately enhancing emotional well-being and professional resilience.

It's great that you're considering professional help. Therapists and counselors who specialize in supporting healthcare professionals understand the unique stresses of your field. They can offer personalized strategies to manage the emotional challenges you face, providing a non-judgmental space to express your feelings. This support can be crucial in maintaining your emotional balance and overall well-being. Have you thought about any specific areas where you might need the most support?

Everyone has at least one experience in Health care that is harder to process. If it affects your focus or wellbeing and you struggle to cope it is normal to seek help. Even health care professionals need mental health support. Some may fear being labeled an ER "frequent flyer" or may feel uncomfortable if their colleagues work there, but it doesn't matter what others think. Take care of you. There are many different ways to access mental health services: virtual therapy, apps, chats, in the community, by phone or text, EAP program or family doctor. Don't let embarrassment get in the way of becoming the best version of yourself. After all, you cannot give help to others until you are made strong and whole yourself.

It's essential to take care of yourself when dealing with tough situations like patient advocacy cases. I find that taking breaks, talking to supportive colleagues, and practicing mindfulness can really help safeguard emotional wellbeing.

Mindfulness is indeed a valuable practice for emotional well-being. By staying present and non-judgmental about your thoughts and feelings, you can navigate stress more effectively. Techniques like meditation, deep breathing, and mindful walking are excellent ways to incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine. These practices can help you maintain clarity and calm, especially when dealing with challenging situations. Have you tried any specific mindfulness techniques that work well for you?

Mindfulness or meditation doesn't have to be 30 minutes in silence with an empty mind, but just learning to be in the present moment can have such a great impact on our stress levels. This is something that we would all benefit from daily and so valuable. Most of us live in the past or the future, worrying, catastrophizing and removing ourselves from the present, the now. By having awareness even just for a few minutes per day we can impact the trajectory of our day. Try sitting in nature, or just taking a walk outside and just listen. Listen to the sounds, notice the colors and the breeze, now you are in the present, things become clear, you are centered and grounded. Perhaps doing this daily you will begin the practice of awareness.

Work-life balance looks different for everyone. We all have unique circumstances that will change the way work-life balance shows up in our lives. Some folks may find working on vacation for an hour here or there reduces the anxiety of facing several emails upon their return to the office. They will check some emails with a beautiful view and no interruptions so that they have some balance when they return to full time work. For others this is an impediment on their vacation and will cause increased stress. At the end of the day, we must all evaluate what works for us, specifically, as it relates to work-life balance. Then set boundaries accordingly.

Advocate for organizational policies and resources that support employee well-being, such as mental health benefits, employee assistance programs, or on-site wellness activities. Mentor and support less experienced patient advocates to help them develop healthy coping strategies early in their careers. Regularly assess your own well-being and be proactive about seeking support when needed. Don't wait until you are in crisis mode.

Prioritize physical health through regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and sufficient sleep. Engage in hobbies or creative outlets, like drawing or painting, to relieve stress.

A mi parecer, es inevitable no tener sentimientos cruzados con lo que alguno de tus pacientes vive. Los profesionales de la salud deben de hacer tiempo e invertir en la salud mental: ejercitándose, durmiendo bien, socializando, buscando hobbies y atendiendo a terapia psicológica. De no invertir en la salud mental, se llega más fácil a estados mentales como la depresión, distimia, burn-out y trastorno de ansiedad.

Employers who truly value their workforce should advocate for a comprehensive suite of employee benefits that prioritize overall well-being. This might include mandatory monthly meetings focused on building resilience and coping mechanisms to manage workplace stress. These sessions could cover a range of evidence-based strategies, from mindfulness and meditation techniques to open discussions around managing anxiety and burnout. Employers should consider offering free, confidential therapeutic sessions with licensed professionals, providing a safe space for workers to work through personal/job-related challenges. When employees feel supported, they're more likely to be engaged, motivated, and able to bring their best selves to work.