Doctors need to feel taken care of before they can provide care

Healthcare doesn’t just mean for patients. It also means healthcare organizations need to protect and work for the well-being of their employees. Just because a doctor or nurse is taking care of patients, does not justify them to be put in situations where their safety and sense of security is threatened. As healthcare institutions work to provide a high level of care for the patients admitted, they should also prioritize the care of their employees. How can people get taken care of if their doctors are struggling physically and emotionally? 

Studies show that 64% of clinicians feel physically unsafe through their work. This number is especially true for women and younger people, who are taking on responsibilities in the healthcare system. This can range from physical to verbal assaults on employees, and this research also shows that almost ¾ of workplace assaults in the United States happens in the healthcare sector. These are not just random trends, but show a deeper problem that deserves attention from healthcare leaders. Protection and care is not just for patients, it needs to be practiced internally as well. 

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, people need to first master physiological and safety needs before they can fully become their true selves. This means everyone needs things like water, clothing, shelter, and sleep, along with health, employment and safety. Having these needs first will then lead people to be able to focus more on love, self esteem and self realization. Before people can be the best they can be, they need the basic things of life. 

This translates to the healthcare industry because it shows that employees need to feel safe and secure before they can become the best clinicians they can be, and provide the highest level of care possible. When doctors and nurses are put at a risk, so is the health of their patients. There are ways to mitigate these risks. Healthcare leaders need to prioritize sustainable workloads for their employees and make sure they are supported both on and off the frontlines. 

For example, there are often times when employees feel burnt out from all of the tasks on their to-do lists. Clinicians main goal is to take care of their patients, but this can sometimes get put on the backburner when they have to spend countless hours each day filling out paperwork. Healthcare leaders should invest in technology that will help benefit and streamline internal business processes like these, so employees can actually provide care. This takes a load off their shoulders mentally and emotionally. 

As I mentioned before, there are times when employees are physically and verbally assaulted on the job. This type of behavior from patients is not okay, so leaders should focus on putting more protections in place when things like this happen. There should be more mental health benefits and more people on the job working to help provide support and care when traumatic experiences occur. Clinicians need to be safe and taken care of, before they can do the same for others. 

“When doctors are facing 27 hour days with little to no support it can be hard to focus on love or belonging in the workplace, let alone confidence or self-improvement. When we are entrusting our lives to our doctors we should hope that they have the support needed to be confident in their work at all times. But the fact of the matter is that doctors face hours of paperwork and mundane tasks with little to no resources. We cannot expect the best of our doctors until their basic needs are met,” shares Sarah Worthy, CEO of DoorSpace.

When doctors feel safe and supported it will translate into the type of care they provide for their patients. Clinicians should not be forgotten in the workplace, instead they should be prioritized because they truly are on the frontlines and keeping things running. Before they can even begin to showcase their true talents, their basic needs have to be met. Healthcare leaders should consider making changes to ensure that their safety is a priority.