YOU GOT THIS: DOCTORS
Medical training is hard and the emergency environment can be stressful. With competency based training, work based assessments, ARCPs, long shifts and the demands of clinical training it can be hard to maintain passion, enthusiasm, positivity and morale. In particular, medical training can pose a threat to physical and psychological wellbeing. You Got This helps our doctors focus on Wellness to help increase resilience and provide support.
Wellness introduction for doctors in training
Feeling Happy at Work
We don't spend much time at medical school learning about how to be happy and fulfilled in our work but it is crucial. There is, of course, no magic recipe for this and depends hugely on where you work, who you are and what else is going on in your life. But maintaining a sense of joy and pride in what we do as doctors is a key part of Wellness. It is also the key to looking after our patients, working with colleagues and to successful and rewarding careers.
You can read more about feeling happy at work here.
Or take a minute to watch this TED talk by Shawn Achor on The Happy Secret to Better Work...
"What we in the healing professions and its support roles get to do every day touches the highest aspirations of a compassionate civilization. We have chosen a calling that invites people who are worried and suffering to share their stories and allow us to help. If any work ought to give spiritual satisfaction to the workers, this is it. “Joy,” not “burnout,” ought to rule the day."
Donald M. Berwick, MD
Institute for Healthcare Improvement
Mindfulness in Medicine
Mindfulness is a therapeutic technique that can help you manage and prevent feelings of depression, stress, anxiety, or discontent. The practice of Mindfulness can enable you to live a more attentive, appreciative and vibrant life. The Oxford Mindfulness Centre is a good place to start if you would like to know more. You can find them here. Why not have a quick go at Mindfulness now...
If you want to explore mindfulness classes and similar activities locally click here.
Night Shifts and Sleep
2 excellent resources you can read right now to improve your night shift working and sleep hygiene are:
1. Working Safely on Night Shifts (MDU Journal)
2. Fifteen-minute consultation: managing the effects of shift work on your health
Night shift working is hard and the detrimental effects it can have on physical and psychological wellbeing are well recognised. In addition to the disruption night shifts cause to our circadian rhythm, they are also frequently focal points for intense clinical experiences and emergencies and when doctors in training can feel most vulnerable. It is absolutely essential that doctors take care of themselves during and around night shifts. Trainees often drive too tired after night shifts. One of our team dealt with a child death on their first night shift as a registrar and it had a profound and lasting effect on them.
Night shift advice video from the BMA
Stress and Mental Health
'Burn out', stress, depression and mental health problems are common in the UK and are a very real threat to us as all as doctors. We should not be waiting to see if we are 'strong enough to cope' - rather we should employ strategies to help support our minds in our everyday lives and our work. Stress may not be just from another busy winter shift in the ED, it may be from family, financial or other personal problems. Whatever is going on at work at home it is terribly important to think about your psychological wellbeing and your mental health. Hopefully using Wellness programmes like You Got This will keep you healthy and feeling good. But if you need help it is vital that you TALK to SOMEONE.
2 excellent resources you can read right now on managing stress in emergency medicine are from:
1. Emergency Medicine Trainees Association (UK)
2. American College of Emergency Physicians.
What do you want to do now?
