ASSOCIATION
COVID-19 FATIGUE: KEEPING MASKS ON AND OFFICE MORALE UP • Have you been attentive to your own sleep and health needs, or even made shift adjustments, so you are able to come to work rested and ready?
After nearly a year of compliance with complicated, and sometimes uncomfortable, COVID-19 protocols, many dental professionals are exhausted. And practice owners are conscientiously taking steps to show their teams compassion and empathy. However, fatigue with wearing mandatory personal protective equipment (PPE) doesn’t change the regulations or the potential for serious risks. Letting your guard down, even when the intention is to accommodate employees’ comfort, can create health risks for all patients and staff as well as liability risks for the practice.
• Have you recognized your own signs of fatigue and sought ways to be optimistic and engaged with your team?
Be direct in your response. Despite ongoing education
and awareness about PPE requirements, some employees will still fail to comply. In this event: • Review practice expectations and regulatory requirements during staff huddles, but don’t wait for the next huddle to address noncompliance issues.
How can practices stay vigilant and combat COVID-19 fatigue? Foster an atmosphere of trust. Being a compassionate employer means listening to employees and finding safe, practical ways to meet their needs. • Is the PPE fitted properly to the employee and are compliant mask options available that are more comfortable to wear?
• Address any issues immediately and in person with the employee. Whether the action necessitates a friendly reminder or a more serious discussion, don’t put it off until a repeated instance or “give them a break” before interceding.
• Are employees taking regularly scheduled breaks and having socially distanced opportunities to rest?
• Document your interaction and be clear about disciplinary consequences for noncompliance.
• Do they feel they can tell you if they observe another employee being noncompliant?
Model the behavior you seek. As a practice leader,
you’re likely fatigues as well. However, your role is to demonstrate best practices, clinical protocols and healthy ways to manage stress. • Are you wearing your own mask consistently, even when no patients are present and you’re conversing with an employee?
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Every team member should be committed to creating a safe practice environment, which means they make conscientious, consistent efforts to preserve the health of peers, patients and the community even when they feel exhausted. Keep your chin up. TDIC
March / April 2021
