July 13, 2020
Police officers, nurses, doctors, nursing aides, and many other professionals stand on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic. While catching the virus themselves is a huge danger, the second danger is burnout, with the third being secondary trauma.
This article will focus on the danger of burnout and how first responders are at risk of having burnout and secondary trauma.
What is Burnout?
Being a first responder during COVID-19, and indeed, any time during the helping professions often brings people into stressful situations. First responders may witness human suffering, and because they are human, feel powerless to help.
The short answer to the question of burnout is that it is a feeling of desperate exhaustion and being overwhelmed during exposure to distressing situations. The human cost of burnout is horrendous to essential workers makes the virus pale by comparison.
Signs of burnout include:
- Being easily frustrated
- Sadness, depression, or apathy
- Blaming others
- Irritability
- Poor hygiene
- Feeling tired, exhausted, or overwhelmed
- Lacking feelings, or being indifferent
- Feeling a failure
- Feeling there is nothing you can do that will help
- Feeling a need for alcohol or drugs to cope
- Feeling the inability to do their job well
The workloads we expect essential workers to handle, coupled with being separated from their families, is a perfect recipe for an emotional disaster.
Comments (0)