ARTICLE
Resilience , Strength and Unity :
Working together for a brighter future in these Pandemic times
Bradley McEwen | PhD , MHSc ( Hum Nutr ), BHSc , ND ( Adv ), DBM , DNutr , DSM , M . ATMS , Naturopath , Nutritionist , and Mentor . Adjunct Senior Lecturer , Faculty of Health , Southern Cross University .
Abstract The last 18 months have seen a significant increase in stressful events affecting everyone , locally and globally . They started with the bushfires of summer 2019-2020 , along with floods and against the background of constant climate change . On top of this has been the Coronavirus disease of 2019 ( COVID-19 ) pandemic , with its universal effect . Health workers worldwide are consistently making efforts to control further disease outbreaks caused by COVID-19 . The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased burnout , stress , traumatic stress , compassion fatigue , anxiety , depression , emotional exhaustion , and insomnia in health professionals . Mentoring plays an increasingly important role in helping develop colleagues and students into competent , happy , successful , and confident health professionals . Working together to build resilience , strength , support , and unity plays a significant role in a brighter future in the health professions during these pandemic times .
Introduction
The world around us , as we know it , has changed dramatically over the last 18 years . There has been a significant increase in stressful events affecting everyone ( individuals , families , communities and countries , globally ). Recent events started with the Australian bushfires of summer 2019- 2020 , 1-3 along with floods , 3 cyclones , 3 and overall climate change . 4 On top of this is the Coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19 ) pandemic that affects everyone on a global scale . 5-10 Health workers worldwide are consistently making efforts to control further disease outbreaks caused by COVID-19 , 10 leading to strain on the workforce . Health professionals are suffering burnout , 11-13 depression , 14-17 anxiety , 14-18 traumatic stress , 18 stress , 11 , 12 , 14 , 16 distress , 13 , 17 and emotional exhaustion 13 due to the pandemic and other crises . This paper aims to shed light on the importance of working together and supporting fellow health professionals and students in these stressful times .
Natural disasters , climate change and COVID-19 pandemic
Natural disasters and climate change are traumatic experiences . 1 , 19 Weather conditions favourable to bushfires are becoming more frequent as a consequence of climate change . 20 Bushfires burned and damaged many forested regions of Australia during the last few months of 2019 and the first few months of 2020 . The effect of these fires is still being felt . The bushfires significantly compromised the respiratory and cardiovascular health of many people . 2 The mental and emotional health effects of natural disasters include depression , distress , fear for life , posttraumatic stress , bereavement 21 and psychological trauma . 1 The unexpected , unpredictable , threatening , and
78 | vol27 | no2 | JATMS