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April 9, 2020
APs Helping APs Prioritize Self-Care in the Clinic, at Home, and on the Front Lines of the COVID-19 Pandemic
By A. Kate MacDougall
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, as advanced practitioners (APs) care for patients battling the novel coronavirus, find innovative and safe ways to continue treating their current patients, and keep up with the constant, day-to-day changes, it’s just as important for them to prioritize their own self-care.
Jessica Davis, FNP, AOCNP, ACHPN, nurse practitioner with Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers, and Lydia Mills, MSW, LCSW, LICSW, senior manager of palliative care and social work, at McKesson—who work together through the US Oncology Network—cite
the constant changes and disruptions in work and clinic processes, the telehealth learning curve, and the uncertainties about the novel coronavirus as sources of increased stress for APs today.
“The quick changes are stressful. It's hard to cope with a lack of a sense of schedule and stability, and things are just evolving and ever changing. It's hard to be okay with that,” Davis said.
But one strategy—self-care—is emerging as a helpful tool for combatting these increasing pressures and anxiety. In fact, Mills, who typically supports outpatient cancer centers across the country with palliative care and advanced
care planning, has been talking a lot more about self-care in the past few weeks.
“In the wake of COVID-19, I'm having a lot more discussions with people about…how to take care of themselves during this time, both at work and at home,” she said. “It's not only impacting them at work now, but it's impacting their
whole life and their family's life as well.”
Take Care of Your Body and Mind
The first step APs, whether working in the clinic or from home, can take to decrease their stress is to prioritize their health, including getting enough sleep and physical activity and eating well. And although most gyms and other exercise facilities across the country aren’t currently accessible, there are many ways APs can inject exercise into their days.
“I encourage people to put [alerts] on their phone or their computers to remind themselves multiple times throughout the day to get up, to move around, to stretch, to take some deep breaths. Because a few deep breaths can
be very calming and relaxing,” Mills said. “And eat. Don't forget to stop and have your break and eat lunch. You need to fuel your body.”
Talk It Out and Let It Go
For those APs working on the frontlines of the pandemic response or in the clinic with routine patients, controlling stress is all about communication and teamwork.
“It's really important to have good communication within the clinic, between the clinicians, between everybody who’s working,” Mills said, “but also just being able to talk about that stress with [your] colleagues and being able
to be vulnerable.”
Davis also cited the importance of letting go of the stress and anxiety we experience and accepting the uncertain aspects of the current pandemic situation that are out of our control.
“One of the biggest things is, if you can, when you leave the clinic, really try to leave it behind and go home to your pets, to your families,” Davis said. “Be present and be very mindful and focused on those moments
with them.”
Related:
Oncology AP Self-Care in This Pandemic—Really? (April 15)
Read more from the APSHO Advance: Special COVID-19 Series
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