Hello to all,
I hope this email finds you warm and healthy!
We live in a world of constant inputs. By that I mean the phone is always on, your email/text/TEAMS app, etc., can always get a hold of you. The ER itself is a place of never ending motion, noise and action. All of this can contribute to high levels of stress and ultimately burn out. This week, let's talk about how to manage all of it.
For those of you who were in the ED this past Friday, we were lucky enough to have Drs. Annmarie Wacha-Montes and Dr. Brian Van Buren from The Center for Traumatic Stress, Resilience and Recovery, meet with us to talk about what to do when all of these inputs start piling up and cause us stress. The STOP tool is an effective way to help build resilience in a very short period of time. STOP is an acronym meaning: S=Stop. Whatever you are doing in the moment, stop. T=take a step back. Imagine that stress is literally "nose to nose" with you. Take a step back from it. O=observe. Take a minute to identify what is distressing you, and think of a way to lower your stress. Maybe you need to go to the bathroom, or maybe you are "hangry" and need a snack. Maybe you just need a minute to do some deep breathing( you know it's my "go-to"!!) Whatever it is, allow yourself to do it. P= proceed. You have addressed your stress, had a few minutes of necessary self-care and can continue your shift.
Identifying a stressor and dealing with it will allow you to be in the moment, decrease your stress level and improve how you are functioning. In fact, taking a small break will improve your productivity!
Stay safe! Have a great week!
Best,
Dr. Heidi Levine
Check out LI events below, a great recipe for Butternut Squash soup, and our list of support resources, if you find yourself needing some assistance.
Picture credit: https://www.shutterstock.com/search/stop+stress
Comments