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Life Support
from CHF Spring 2021
by MediaEdge
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LEFT TO RIGHT: Louisa Nedkov, Dr. Deborah Marshall, Dr. Jonathan Sam and Dr. Meghan Daly.
CovidCARE created amid pandemic to help staff, physicians at Halton Healthcare
By Zita Raponi
While no one can change the stark realities of COVID-19, staff and physicians at Halton Healthcare are finding comfort and strength through a peer support program called CovidCARE. The program has helped them connect and build strong support systems so they can face the unique challenges of healthcare and self-care amid the pandemic.
In April 2020, Dr. Jonathan Sam, a pediatrician at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, noticed his co-workers were struggling with the sudden changes brought about by COVID-19.
“There was a growing sense of fear and uncertainty among staff and physicians, I call it a shadow pandemic, that was even more contagious than the coronavirus itself,” he explains.
With a background of working with teams to improve their performance in acute care situations through simulation and debriefing, Dr. Sam decided to facilitate candid discussions with the care teams on the maternal child/pediatrics unit to see how he could help.
“Dr. Sam cut through all the confusion and very effectively eased the fear and anxiety in the room,” says Tracey Fuller, a clinical resource nurse on the maternal child unit who attended some of the initial sessions. “He patiently answered all our questions, showed us how to sort through the new regulations and protocols, and armed us with coping and self-care strategies. He also provided simple preventive measures on how to protect ourselves, each other and our families.”
Word spread quickly of Dr. Sam’s discussions and he soon received invitations to department meetings and team huddles from all across the organization. CovidCARE was born in response to this overwhelming need for support.
“Our healthcare teams were looking for a human connection and Dr. Sam recognized this,” says Dr. Zeba Ansari, chief of pediatrics at Halton Healthcare. “He listened to their concerns, talked them through their fears and showed how they could support each other.”
CovidCARE is comprised of seasoned debriefers from all three Halton Healthcare sites: Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, Milton District Hospital and Georgetown Hospital. Led by Dr. Sam, the team includes Dr. Saroo Sharda, Dr. Meghan Daly, Dr. Deborah Marshall and registered nurse Nicole Cemkov. It is supported by Louisa Nedkov, program coordinator of Halton Healthcare’s wellness program, Kailo. The debriefers attend department meetings and unit huddles, by invitation, to guide group discussions and help teams build resilience. The program is offered in-person, as a hybrid (mix of live and virtual) or entirely virtual. Sessions last 20 to 60 minutes, depending on the needs of the team.
“Different teams have different concerns. Healthcare providers and support staff on the frontlines in the emergency room or intensive care unit may be worried about how to care for patients or contracting the virus, while others are still struggling with adapting to their ‘new norm’,” says Dr. Sam. “Acknowledging teams for the great work they do, especially when they are feeling particularly vulnerable, can be
very powerful. Some staff also have personal problems at home that makes it very difficult for them to work — we address those too.”
CovidCARE has boosted morale by spreading positivity, togetherness and resilience across Halton Healthcare. As of November 2020, the peer support team has facilitated nearly 100 sessions and reached more than 1,750 clinical and non-clinical staff.
“We cannot change the outcomes or even say that everything will be okay, but we can certainly help people connect, encourage them to share their struggles and take care of each other, and we can do it all with bravery,” notes Dr. Sam. “By sharing their experiences, staff realize they are not alone. Often, the best people to help them are their colleagues because they are facing the same challenges.”
Since its creation, CovidCARE has grown and expanded to provide a more robust program geared to the second wave of the pandemic.
“In order to increase the program’s capacity, effectiveness and accessibility,
“THERE WAS A GROWING SENSE OF FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY AMONG STAFF AND PHYSICIANS, I CALL IT A SHADOW PANDEMIC, THAT WAS EVEN MORE CONTAGIOUS THAN THE CORONAVIRUS ITSELF.”
our entire team recently completed critical incident stress management training,” says Dr. Sam, who was bestowed the Halton Healthcare VIP (Values Inspired Performer) Award last year, for his leadership in establishing CovidCARE.
The award recognizes individuals who exemplify the organization’s values of compassion, accountability and respect.
Halton Healthcare has also established a physician champion at each of its hospitals. Dr. Marshall supports Milton District Hospital, while Dr. Daly manages Georgetown Hospital.
“We are also actively surveying all participants of the program to measure CovidCARE’s reach and impact to continuously grow and improve,” says Dr. Sam. “We have discovered the needs and emotions of participants are changing with the second wave — we have moved from fear to more frustration and people are at risk of burnout. The feedback we receive can help us gauge the pulse of the organization so we can tailor sessions to the current challenges.”
Besides CovidCARE, Halton Healthcare has established a number of peer-to-peer support programs over the past year for staff and physicians. These include the Schwartz Rounds, a forum where clinicians can discuss difficult or emotional healthcare situations in a safe space, and a critical incident staff support program that connects with clinical teams after a traumatic experience or overwhelming work-related stress.
“While each of these programs addresses different access points and triggers, they all reach out to people when they need it most,” notes Dr. Sam. “Sometimes just knowing someone has your back is enough to see you through a difficult time.”
CHES SCISS
Canadian Healthcare Engineering Society Société canadienne d'ingénierie des services de santé
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR AWARDS
2021 Hans Burgers Award for Outstanding Contribution to Healthcare Engineering DEADLINE: April 30, 2021
To nominate: Please use the nomination form posted on the CHES website and refer to the Terms of Reference.
Purpose: The award shall be presented to a resident of Canada as a mark of recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of healthcare engineering.
Award sponsored by
2021 Wayne McLellan Award of Excellence in Healthcare Facilities Management DEADLINE: April 30, 2021
To nominate: Please use the nomination form posted on the CHES website and refer to the Terms of Reference.
Purpose: To recognize hospitals or long-term care facilities that have demonstrated outstanding success in completion of a major capital project, energy efficiency program, environmental stewardship program or team building exercise.
Award sponsored by
