Self care resources
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Self care FAQs

It is an unprecedented time and the uncertainty about so many elements of COVID-19 is a reality for many of us. It is understandable that emotional distress, even among those not directly exposed to the disease, is significant. There are many issues to contend with at once – changes in your workplace, care arrangements for family and children, financial uncertainty and more.

You are not alone. Many nurses are asking questions about how to look after themselves personally and at work. Here is a list of the most frequently asked questions from our members at the Australian College of Nursing and our community.

1. I’m a frontline worker, how do I look after myself during COVID-19?

There is no question that being a frontline worker is stressful. As we do not know how long this pandemic will continue, sustaining your energy for frontline work needs some consideration.

You’ve made the first step by asking how you can look after yourself. This is an important realisation to accessing support.

We encourage you to join the NurseStrong Facebook Group, which is a peer-to-peer support area where you can ask other nurses how they are looking after themselves.

Phoenix Australia, a leader in mental health has developed this useful guide for frontline workers titled Looking after yourself – Psychological tips to help frontline workers look after themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nurse and Midwife Support is a 24-hour national support service providing access to confidential advice and referral. This service has the ability provide anonymous support and you can request that your consult not be recorded.

Looking after yourself

2. My team and I are involved in highly distressing and traumatic circumstances. How can I ensure this doesn’t impact our long-term psychological, social or spiritual health?

Healthcare workers can experience moral stress (moral injury) defined as the psychological, social and spiritual impact due to their work in high-stakes situations. Understanding this concept might help to develop a framework around your own experiences. This Moral stress amongst healthcare workers during COVID-19: A guide to moral injury provides insight into moral injury and what organisations, teams and individuals can do to consider the impacts.

If you find the information in this guide useful, we encourage you to share it with your managers and workplace to start important conversations.

Moral stress amongst healthcare workers

3. I’m a manager of frontline workers. What more can I do to support my team’s well-being at this time?

There are strategies you can employ to help you and your team’s well-being at this time. Encouraging your team to talk and connect with each other, limiting media exposure and encouraging people to take time-off when needed are just some ideas. For more ideas, review this tip sheet : Manager tips – Maintaining the psychological wellbeing of health and frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Manager tips

4. My patients are stressed and often distressed, as a health practitioner, what can I do to support their mental health?

You are probably already doing everything in your power to support your patients at this difficult time. However, for a good refresher, check out the practitioner tips fact sheet for inspiration. Feel free to share with your colleagues too: Practitioner tips – Caring for patients’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious disease outbreaks.

Practitioner tips

5. I have witnessed some concerning behaviour by managers or colleagues where I work. How can I report this behaviour without retribution?

The Australian College of Nursing is advocating for all Australian nurses to be able to practice in a safe working environment while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. To allow us to act and address specific practice issues, we have created an anonymous COVID-19 Disclosure Portal through which nurses can voice their concerns in a safe, supportive environment. We will analyse your anonymous submissions to identify specific practice problems and raise these with the appropriate organisation or government if appropriate. Access the portal.

6. I work with patients and families, where English is not their first language. Where can I go for translated materials?

We have a vested interest in ensuring the community have access to the most recent information to keep everyone safe. Department of Health and Human Services, Victoria has provided a suite of translated resources related to COVID-19. View the resources.

Self care resources

Australian Government Department of Health

Australian Government Department of Health

Mental health for the health workforce during COVID-19 (uploaded 17 September 2020)

COVID-19 Supporting nurses psychological and mental health (uploaded 17 September 2020)

E-Mental Health in practice (uploaded 17 September 2020)

Phoenix Australia (uploaded 17 September 2020)

 

Through animated characters, the campaign recognises the emotions many people are feeling and illustrates the actions they can take to help themselves feel better. The campaign will be provided in 15 languages across radio and print including Vietnamese, Arabic, Mandarin, Cantonese, Greek, Italian, Korean, Spanish, Punjabi, Hindi, Khmer, Thai, Turkish, Persian and Macedonian.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) mental health campaign resources (uploaded 6 November 2020)

Victorian Government Department of Health & Human Services

Victorian Government Department of Health & Human Services

Dealing with loss of control (uploaded 29 September 2020)

Support and kindness (uploaded 29 September 2020)

Social isolation (uploaded 29 September 2020)

Routine (uploaded 29 September 2020)

Source trusted information (uploaded 29 September 2020)

Head to Health

Head to Health

Discussions and concerns around the coronavirus outbreak and practising self-isolation can be stressful and it can impact our mental health and wellbeing. It’s normal to feel a range of emotions, such as stress, worry, anxiety, boredom, or low mood. Many people feel distressed and overwhelmed by the constant news and amount of information about the situation.

Head to Health is committed to providing Australians with trusted information and digital resources to help support their mental health and wellbeing during this pandemic. This page covers where to get the facts about the coronavirus outbreak, tips for maintaining good mental health, tips for managing financial stress, information on how to access mental health services, information for parents, and information on how to keep older Australians safe and connected by helping them get established online.

COVID-19 Support (uploaded 6 November 2020)

* All resources are relevant as of their upload date. Due to the dynamic nature of this rapidly unfolding situation we encourage you to regularly check the individual information sources for any further updates.

Receive mental health support from a trained professional

If your mental health is suffering because of the current pandemic, reach out to HeadtoHelp now.

HeadtoHelp is a collaborative initiative of Victoria’s Primary Health Networks and funded by the Australian Government to provide in-person and phone support to Victorians of all ages.

You can reach out to HeadtoHelp by phoning 1800 595 212. A trained professional will take your call, give you advice, and if you need it, connect you to a free HeadtoHelp hub or help you find the support that suits your needs.

More information about HeadtoHelp can be found at HeadtoHelp.org.au or on the Department of Health’s factsheet.

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