Supporting Caregivers During COVID-19: Transforming Compassionate Care From a Way of Doing to Being

ABSTRACT

The expectation by colleagues that fellow clinicians deftly manage the stresses of practice often predisposes healthcare professionals involved in an adverse event to experience isolation, blame, and shame. The peer support model has since been recognized as an important component of institutional wellness and follows a well-described and structured method. Although peer support programs have traditionally been established to support caregivers involved in adverse medical events, the relevance and applicability of these programs have found substantial traction across broader crisis domains. Interventions, including peer support, help mitigate the 3 components of burnout emotional exhaustion, depersonalization (cynicism), and reduced efficacy. Copyright © by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists.