Few have felt the force of the pandemic pressure cooker as acutely and persistently as healthcare workers, many of whom have toiled around the clock to provide care at unprecedented volumes.
But as the pandemic seems to become the “new normal,” it is easier to overlook the ongoing difficulties healthcare workers face: Even before the outbreak of the pandemic, 54% of doctors and nurses were experiencing burnout. But Covid-19 has brought many to the brink, as these frontline workers continue to confront newfound pressures, staffing shortages and record levels of fatigue.
To address these issues, it is paramount that institutions, from governments to businesses, rise to the occasion and provide tangible solutions—harness all available tools and technology, cut through red tape in order to expand access to mental health services and apply the lessons learned from Covid-19 to mitigate future crises.
Covid-19 greatly exacerbated the toll on mental health for many medical professionals, who have reported increases in depression, anxiety, PTSD and suicidal ideation. This is a pandemic all its own—in America, half of public health workers show symptoms of at least one mental health condition. Even more concerning, studies show these workers are more likely to suffer in silence or avoid treatment for fear of having their medical licenses withdrawn.
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