All across Europe and around the world. people who work in healthcare settings are caring for patients who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, often under extremely challenging conditions.
This presents a clear risk of long-term mental health challenges, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Fortunately, expert resources are available, and we can learn from the experiences and strategies used by military staff. There are notable similarities between the experiences of people serving in the military and people providing frontline care during the current crisis.
In a recent feature on this theme Medical News Today proposes several evidence-based approaches to stress management which are associated with better recovery from adverse events. Components of these strategies includes safety, calming, self-efficacy, social connectedness, and hope.
Reference to a helpful tool, The Field Guide to Self-Care was shared on the MNT site and is available on the Help for Heroes website.