19 AUGUST - 202219 July - 2022Innovative Strategies to Prevent CaregiverBurnout In the Post-PandemicEraBy Dexter Vickerie, RN-BC, MSN, RAC-CT, Corporate Director of Quality/Clinical Compliance & Risk Management, Centers Health CareAs I ponder on what tech innovation I should cover for this article and reflect on all of the setbacks healthcare employees have faced since COVID began in 2020, I decided that, rather than tech innovation, it would be best to discuss innovative strategies to aid our most important resource...our human resource. This is something that certainly warrants thought, insight and innovation during what many people are labeling, the beginning of the Covid-19 "endemic".Imagine walking into a healthcare facility and finding there were no housekeepers, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, recreation, dietary, social workers and nutritionists onsite? Also imagine if residents were left to fend for themselves in the absence of these valuable and often forgotten heroes? Despite all of the setbacks, healthcare heroes continue to, not only make themselves available to our most vulnerable population, but also strive to go above and beyond. They continue to provide optimum care even when they themselves, or their loved ones may need this same care. As I reflect back to 2020 during the height of the pandemic, I remember devoting an entire day reaching out to funeral homes to inquire if they had room for our deceased residents. Needless to say, my efforts were futile. Funeral homes were overrun with more bodies than they could accommodate. Funeral directors sometimes promised to return my calls, but many never did. As I continued to trudge along in my efforts, I remembered receiving a call at 10:30pm from a funeral director that had promised to return my call later in the morning when I had left a message. To my disappointment, he too did not have room for additional bodies. Though sadly disappointing, this call was a little different. Rather than a simple yes or no regarding accommodation, he showed compassion about being sorry for not being able to accommodate "my needs," but he understood what we were going through and wanted to get back to me despite it being so late at night. I remember explaining to him about our dire situation to which he listened and offered words of encouragement that perhaps things may improve soon, and that if anything became available, he would reach out to let me know. As I reflect on that conversation, I realize that some of the people that were lost with nowhere to be placed, were mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers. This made me realize how serious COVID was and feared enormously for what it could become. Fast forward to two years later, and again reflecting on how far we have come in the battle against COVID, I think about the fallen heroes that died on the frontline CXO INSIGHTS
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