Interview with Christine Devine, Wellness Specialist, Michael Garron Hospital on sharing Best Practices for Supporting the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers During Covid-19.
Mental Health Commission of Canada Interview with Christine Devine, Wellness Specialist, Michael Garron Hospital on sharing Best Practices for Supporting the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers During Covid-19.
As healthcare workers grapple with providing care to patients with Covid-19, there is a need to protect their mental health as well as their physical health.
Liz Horvath, Manager, Workplace Mental Health, Opening Minds, Mental Health Commission of Canada interviewed Christine Devine, Wellness Specialist at Michael Garron Hospital in Toronto, Ontario.
Christine shared the practices that her hospital has put in place that may help other healthcare organizations, as well as organizations in other sectors that may be dealing with similar challenges.
Here are the topics addressed in this interview:
- The challenges that the response to COVID-19 is having on the mental health of staff
- Advice for leaders to help to calm the nerves of healthcare workers
- What healthcare workers who are dealing with some very difficult circumstances and decisions should be doing to care for themselves and protect their mental health
- Advice on protecting the mental health of other staff in healthcare organizations during COVID-19
- How to help healthcare workers with their off-the-job mental health (those with families at home and those who live alone)
- The National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace has made with respect to supporting the mental health of workers during this pandemic
- Focus of the leadership team going forward. Learn more about mental health resources for healthcare sector visit our website: https://theworkingmind.ca/healthcare-resources
Introduction
Can you please put into context the challenges that the response to COVID-19 is having on the mental health of staff?
What advice do you have for leaders to help to calm the nerves of healthcare workers
What impact did these steps have on the workers
What should healthcare employees be doing to care for themselves and protect their mental health?
What advice do you have on protecting the mental health of other hospital staff during COVID-19?
What healing will look like after COVID-19?
How can we help them with their off-the-job mental health?
What advice what you have for the healthcare workers with families and aging parents?
What effect did the adoption of the National Standard of Canada on Psychological Health and Safety in your hospital have with respect to supporting the mental health of workers during this pandemic
What is your leadership team focusing on?
Are there specific tools that you’re using to help manage through this time?
