Preventing Suicides in the Health Care Workforce: The Role of Resilience

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on our health care teams with many suffering from stress, trauma, burnout and increased behavioral health challenges. When physicians, nurses and health care professionals experience extended periods of stress and burnout, they often feel as though they are letting down their patients, their families, and their colleagues. The impact of these prolonged stressors has amplified the need for support and efforts to improve well-being, destigmatize mental health. Continue listening to learn how the Edward-Elmhurst Health’s employee mental health committee works with members across different disciplines and backgrounds to identify and implement strategies to address employee mental health challenges. In this podcast, Rebecca Chickey, Senior Director, Behavioral Health Services at the AHA, speaks with Gina Sharp, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Lindsey Harrington, Psy.D., Manager, Psychology and Counseling, of NorthShore – Edward-Elmhurst Health in Illinois. At Edward-Elmhurst Health (EEH), employee mental health and well-being is interwoven into its recruitment and retention strategies. Earning Platinum recognition from Mental Health America’s Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, EEH serves as a best-practice example for how to support employee mental health and promote resiliency. In today’s podcast, Ms. Sharp and Dr. Harrington will describe their work to make employees feel safe, included and supported while building organizational resiliency. Moreover, they will share how they use employee feedback on workplace experiences and concerns to provide cutting-edge and empirically supported education and trainings on mental health and workplace violence.