A senior spokesperson from Nurse & Midwife Support (NM Support) has urged nurses and midwives to allow themselves space for self care amidst the uncertainty created by the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Mark Aitken, Consultant & Stakeholder Engagement Manager with the support organisation that provides 24/7 free and confidential phone support for nurses and midwives across the country, said that the service had received an increased number of calls in the wake of the virus’ spread.
“Mostly they are calling around support… [after] finding themselves in a changed environment,” Mr Atiken said.
“[They are] concerned that they’re working in the front line… and concerned… [that] there’s still so many unknowns.”
Nevertheless, Mr Aitken, who is also a registered nurse, said nurses and midwives owed it to themselves to ensure that they look after themselves in order to keep providing a high standard of care to patients.
“[It’s] ingrained in us and it’s part of the reason we go into the profession… we have an innate inclination to care,” he said.
“At this challenging time and [in] these unknown times, it’s really important to look after yourself, and indeed, really engage in your own self-care… Now is really the time to put that plan in place.”
Regardless of where their plans were, Mr Aitken said that there were a variety of options available to support nurses and midwives.
“This is the time you do your exercise, or this is the time to connect with nature… or this is the time for good nutrition,” he explained.
“Make self-care part of your routine at the moment if you’re not doing it already.”
Mr Aitken also emphasised that Nurse & Midwife Support remains accessible via telephone 24 hours a day (1800 667 877) or via email response within 24 hours of contact (https://www.nmsupport.org.au/support).
4 Responses
I am a carer in a nursing home. Should a face mask provide a barrier to transmission as well as hand washing.
HiSandy a mask helps to prevent passing anything on to the residents. P2 masks are considered the best.
As a midwife in labour ward. When is the best time to used increased PPE when caring for an unknown covid patient in labour?
There’s a space that’s forgotten. The rest of our lives. My Dad is in an aged care facility, who are amazing, but we still need to empty the house which is hours away and can only be done on days off. My kids have blessed us with babies, one of which is newborn. We haven’t seen them much due to Corona restrictions, and now may not for months. My job is low risk but my hubby’s is not. This is a nightmare. It’s not just our jobs, but our families.