Thursday, November 12, 2020
Please share this memo with all members.
ATTENTION UNIFOR HEALTHCARE MEMBERS
COMBATTING COMPASSION FATIGUE WEBINAR
Greetings Unifor Health Care members,
Throughout the pandemic, health care workers have continued to carry a tremendous load, which can have a detrimental impact on mental health and well-being.
On Tuesday, October 27, we held our first "Combatting Compassion Fatigue" educational webinar. This webinar provided support to health care members. Together, we learned about the causes, signs and risk factors of burnout and compassion fatigue, and gained some coping mechanisms to get through these trying times.
As healthcare workers and members of Unifor, we recognize the extreme conditions we are all working in. With extended shifts, hours, and days of work, as well as home and personal life commitments, our time is limited. Local union leadership from healthcare in partnership with the National Unifor Leadership and the Unifor Education Department worked closely to develop this webinar for healthcare members across Canada. The webinar was recorded so all members can participate in their schedules.
The webinar is one hour long. I have attached the link to the video and all the excellent resources. If you have the opportunity to watch the webinar, please do so.
It is an excellent tool with crucial information for us to work through this pandemic and our regular work and life demands. Please encourage your members, colleagues, and co-workers to watch and share the webinar.
To watch the webinar or to share with others, please use this link and password:
PLAY RECORDING (55 mins)
Recording password: HCWebinar#1
The following are some resources that we hope will be of use.
Resources:
- Professional Quality of Life Scale (PROQOL), a self-directed and scored screening tool for compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue
- Canadian Mental Health Association provides many resources including tip sheets, exercises, and additional links to supports for direct service providers.
- List of registered psychology practitioners offering their services to front line health service providers at no cost
- The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health provides access to mental health and addiction supports for health care workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the resources include:
- Unifor has created a Covid-19 Mental Health Resource Guide
During our webinar, Sharon provided the following coping mechanism suggestions:
1. Be aware of changes in your level of compassion fatigue.
2. Make self-care a priority.
3. Spend time with friends.
4. Join or start a caregiver support group.
5. Write in a journal.
6. Use positive ways to cope with stress.
7. Spend time on hobbies.
8. Speak with a counselor or therapist.
9. Reach out to those closest to you.
10. Be more sociable with your co-workers.
11. Limit your contact with negative people.
12. Connect with a cause.
There are numerous online Unifor educational opportunities open to all Unifor members. Please visit this link to register. https://onlineeducation.unifor.org/.
We like to take this opportunity to thank the leadership of Unifor National Union as well as the Unifor Education Department for their continued support of our healthcare members.
In solidarity,
Kari Jefford
President Unifor Health Care Council
