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An Enigmatic Future for the Health Care Workers’ Mental Health

  • Nov 21, 2021
  • 5 min read

By: Kyra Pantig


When someone says, "not all heroes wear capes", pre-COVID 19 pandemic, you might think of soldiers, farmers and other jobs with significant impact on all. However, since the COVID 19 pandemic started, one more essential worker is considered a modern-day hero: the health care workers (HCWs). New health protocols, which include social distancing, frequent hand sanitizing and washing, and staying at home when one experiences COVID 19 symptoms, all of these protocols aim to create bubbles that separate those with COVID 19 and those who are not infected. However, as these bubbles operate to prevent the spread of the virus, HCWs cross these bubbles to care for and help patients recover and go back to their families. As the whole world created boundaries to prevent the spread of the virus, HCWs dedicated their strength to care for other people inside their respective bubbles due to the virus. The real question now is, as the HCWs care for the rest of the world during this unprecedented time, who then cares for them?


The facet about heroes is that we all see them as superior, but in reality, we forget that like the rest of us, HCWs are also someone else’s spouse, parent, grandparent, child or friend. HCWs are also like us; they have struggles, and the uncertainty of the COVID 19 pandemic also caused them to develop or aggravate existing mental health concerns. Unfortunately, today's COVID 19 pandemic is not the first health crisis the world has faced. For example, the H1N1 Influenza and the Ebola virus shattered the world in 2009- 2010 and 2013 to 2016. However, the mantra "we learn from the past" seems only to show how new health protocols will be implemented and make legislation effective during a health crisis. Unfortunately, from H1N1 in 2009 to COVID 19 of the present, HCWs' physical burnout and mental health are neglected, and they are left with long-term effects.


Challenges that the Health Care Workers face amidst the COVID 19 pandemic:


Shortage of personal protective equipment or PPE

  • During the early phase of the COVID 19 pandemic, there was a global shortage of PPE as the whole world struggled to grasp the intensity of the virus.

  • In New York, many dedicated HCWs who do not choose to provide health care to patients, despite not having the required PPE, contracted the COVID 19 virus. The worst aspect is that HCWs are already overworking, so many of them already have weaker immune systems, which, when accompanied by the lack of PPE, led to aggravate conditions, and worse, deaths.


Increasing trends of stress, depression and anxiety are seen in recent studies around the world that convey similar results: the majority of the HCWs are experiencing burnout.


Stigmatization towards HCWs is also prevalent as many people view them as vectors for the virus to spread.

- Social isolation from friends and families

As the pandemic progresses, more and more hospitals are understaffed because many HCWs quit working.

  • Disproportionately more women (i.e. mothers) are quitting their jobs because of their obligations to their children and to help them transition to online learning.

  • Aside from personal factors, HCWs also experience a lack of support from the government and even from their respective workplaces (Andrew, 2021)


An Enigmatic Future Post- COVID 19 Pandemic for HCWs

As COVID-19 progresses, more studies will fill the gaps in the literature to discover better ways of helping the HCWs with mental health resources. However, suppose no action is done immediately, even if the research gaps were filled. In that case, it may be too late for the HCWs, for they might already be suffering from the uncharted long-term effects of their mental health concerns aggravated by the COVID 19 pandemic.


  • The government (federal and provincial) should use the growing literature to devise legislation that will promote and aid the HCWs' mental health.

  • The workplaces (i.e. hospitals, long-term care facilities) could use the media (i.e. websites, emails) to launch support groups within their facility among the HCWs.

  • The government should devise clear cut guidelines to support the HCWs. For example, paid sick leaves should be implemented and hiring more HCWs to strengthen the workforce.


Lastly, open communication between the HCWs and the government should be enforced. The only individuals who can precisely state the resources that the HCWs need are the HCWs themselves. With media use, it is not surprising that the government will find that the different HCW groups are already talking, but no one is listening.


Conclusion

The exact point as to when the COVID 19 pandemic will end is still uncertain. However, it is imperative to remember that for the whole world to move on during and after the pandemic, our HCWs dedication and sacrifices should not be taken for granted. The worst fear that any HCW has right now is a post-COVID 19 pandemic society where the rest of the world moved on while our HCW heroes were left with the long-term remnants of their trauma, hard work, and sacrifices during the pandemic.


In the future, post-COVID 19 pandemic, let us not allow for the HCWs to cling to the old bubble with the long-term effects of their mental health problems brought by the pandemic. Instead, as a society, we should listen to their cries right now. As a society, we could shed light on the resources they need and strive to understand that as they risk themselves in the name of their professions and obligations, they are also someone else's friend, parent and relative.


Sources:

Alsulimani, L. K., Farhat, A. M., Borah, R. A., AlKhalifah, J. A., Alyaseen, S. M., Alghamdi, S. M., & Bajnaid, M. J. (2021). Health care worker burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic a cross-sectional survey study in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Medical Journal, 42(3), 306–314. https://doi.org/10.15537/SMJ.2021.42.3.20200812


Andrew, S. (2021). Traumatized and tired, nurses are quitting due to the pandemic - CNN. CNN US. https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/25/us/nurses-quit-hospitals-covid-pandemic-trnd/index.html


CNN Philippines. (2020). Sultan Kudarat hospital demands justice for health worker attacked with bleach. https://www.cnnphilippines.com/regional/2020/3/28/sultan-kudarat-hospital-health-worker-bleach.html


Ellis, E. (2020). How Health Care Workers Avoid Bringing Covid-19 Home | WIRED. https://www.wired.com/story/coronavirus-covid-19-health-care-workers-families/


Fan, J., Senthanar, S., Macpherson, R. A., Sharpe, K., Peters, C. E., Koehoorn, M., & McLeod, C. B. (2021). An umbrella review of the work and health impacts of working in an epidemic/pandemic environment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(13). https://doi.org/10.3390/IJERPH18136828


Global Data Healthcare. (2020). Lack of PPE led to frontline healthcare worker deaths due to Covid-19. https://www.medicaldevice-network.com/comment/healthcare-worker-deaths-covid-19/


Mrklas, K., Shalaby, R., Hrabok, M., Gusnowski, A., Vuong, W., Surood, S., Urichuk, L., Li, D., Li, X. M., Greenshaw, A. J., & Agyapong, V. I. O. (2020). Prevalence of perceived stress, anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in health care workers and other workers in Alberta during the COVID-19 pandemic: Cross-sectional survey. JMIR Mental Health, 7(9). https://doi.org/10.2196/22408



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