SPOKANE, Wash. — On Monday, Lidgerwood Elementary School students showed their appreciation to Providence Holy Family Hospital health workers for their hard work during the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.
Students delivered boxes of cards and some snazzy posters thanking hospital staff. Some of the posters read, "Thank you heath workers. Together we'll get through this." The thank you notes included drawings of hearts and a red cross.
Providence Holy Family Hospital and Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center have been dealing with higher number of COVID-19 patients since the pandemic first started in 2019. According to the Providence Holy Family Hospital website, the hospital is among the largest 25 employers in Spokane County with over 1,000 employees and more than 180 physicians representing most medical specialties.
COVID-19 has had a negative impact on the mental health of those who are faced with combatting the virus. According to a survey by the Mental Heath America (MHA), made to 1,119 healthcare workers in the U.S., from June-September 2020, 93% of them answered they were experiencing stress, 86% reported experiencing anxiety, and 75% said they were overwhelmed.
Healthcare workers are also experiencing conditions that have been compared to a war zone. It is essential that people provide resources to help healthcare workers cope with the mental health impact of their work, according to MHA website.
Some of the ways people could support heath workers, of those who are coping with mental heath issues included the following:
- Checking in on each other.
- Approaching general wellbeing as a team.
- Taking time to laugh.
- Expressing gratitude.
- Paying attention to peoples' nonverbal cues.
If you are a healthcare worker and are concerned about your mental health, go to mhanational.org/frontline to be screened and find resources and support. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach a 24-hour crisis center, or text MHA to 741741 to reach a trained Crisis Counselor 24/7.
