Health care workers are experiencing increased mental stress due to COVID-19, from personal trauma to the loss of their patients and loved ones.
We know your time is precious. We want to make the complex simple by curating trusted information and resources to address these needs for your easy access.
Prepare and Plan
These resources help health care providers and leadership assess, plan and develop strategies to improve the safety and mental wellness of their workforce and include:
- Best practices to assess health care safety
- Quality improvement efforts to increase safety
- Tools for health care systems
- Foundation for health care worker resiliency
COVID-19 Anxiety Workshop Toolkit
University of Arkansas Pat Walker Health Center | PDF
Teaches effective coping skills to decrease and manage anxiety around COVID-19. Covers the theory of cognitive behavioral skill development and provides tools to evaluate and change thinking, identify triggers and promote self-care.
Comagine Health | PDF
Strategies and considerations for leaders in preparing to meet COVID-19 challenges. Includes organizational self-care strategies to support staff and how to assist them in planning support for their families.
COVID-19 Healthcare Planning Checklist
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response | PDF
Prepares health care settings to meet the challenges of a pandemic. Organized by level of adoption (not started, in progress, completed) and designed to guide organizations in performance improvement efforts to increase staff and patient safety prior to a peak in cases.
Caring for Healthcare Workers During Crisis: Creating a Resilient Organization
American Medical Association | PDF
Actions organizations can take before, during and after a crisis to reduce psychological trauma for their workforce. Taking these steps can increase the probability that the workforce will not just survive the crisis but may even thrive.
Strategies to Mitigate Healthcare Personnel Staffing Shortages
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | PDF
Actions for organizations to take to meet staffing needs during COVID-19. Addresses planning for protection from exposure, steps to take if staffing shortages occur as a result of exposure, and criteria to help decide when infected staff may return to work.
Managing Healthcare Workers' Stress Associated with the COVID-19 Virus Outbreak
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs | PDF
Techniques for dealing with stress through preparedness, during the coronavirus outbreak, and in the aftermath of the outbreak.
Manage During Peak
These resources can help protect, preserve and promote front-line health care workers’ physical health and safety and mental well-being in a rapidly changing environment. They include:
- Resources for physical safety (infection prevention)
- Resources for mental health support
A Guide to Understanding and Coping with Compassion Fatigue
2U, Inc. | External Website
Describes compassion fatigue, its warning signs, and self-care techniques to overcome professional burnout. Includes resources, toolkits, books, podcasts and videos help those suffering from compassion fatigue.
Managing During Peak Tip Sheet
Comagine Health | PDF
Provides resources to support a health care team’s personal safety and exemplary patient care with a daily plan, clear communication and innovative management strategies during a rapidly changing environment.
Interim NIOSH Training for Emergency Responders: Reducing Risks Associated with Long Work Hours
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | External Website
Developed for emergency workers who deploy to work at disaster sites caused by catastrophic events. Gives strategies to reduce risks from fatigue due to long shifts during the emergency response and recovery operations.
COVID-19 (2019 Novel Coronavirus) Resource Center for Physicians
American Medical Association | External Website
Comprehensive updates, clinical information, guides and resources on topics like advocacy and medical ethics.
Caring for our Caregivers During COVID-19
American Medical Association | External Website
Guidance for health care leadership to create and ensure an infrastructure and resources to support physicians, nurses and care team members.
COVID-19 Pandemic Response Resources
Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress | External Website
Includes fact sheets and other resources to support the health and well-being of communities impacted by COVID-19.
Sustaining Yourself During the Coronavirus: Virtual Town Hall
Thrive Global, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Creative Artists Agency | Video
Sustaining Yourself During the Coronavirus: Self-Care Tip Sheet
Thrive Global, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Creative Artists Agency | PDF
Microsteps first responders can take to support and sustain themselves while confronting the COVID-19 emergency.
Recover and Learn
Resources in this section support health care workers and leaders in building plans to recover and learn from each other to strengthen our health care workforce for future challenges, including:
- Guidance on supporting staff dealing with trauma, anxiety, depression or burnout
- Emergency preparedness: tools to assess your organization’s pandemic response, identify gaps that created issues, and plan for addressing these gaps for future emergencies
- Business recovery tools and opportunities for contracting for tailored support
Comagine Health | PDF
Starter resources to support health care workers and leaders in building plans to recover and learn from crisis in efforts to strengthen the health care workforce for future challenges.
Caring for Healthcare Workers during Crisis: Creating a Resilient Organization
American Medical Association | PDF
Actions organizations can take before, during and after a crisis to reduce psychosocial trauma and increase the likelihood of their workforce coping or even thriving.
Resilience Resources for Emergency Responders: Employee and Family Post-Deployment
Occupational Safety and Health Administration | External Website
Resources for workers deployed for disaster response that are translatable to health care workers responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Traumatic Incident Stress: Information for Emergency Response Workers
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at CDC | PDF
Tips on how to watch for and manage traumatic incident stress; health care leaders may share these recommendations with employees to maintain health following the coronavirus pandemic.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at CDC | External Website
Quick reference on symptoms of stress and recommendations for monitoring and maintaining health both on-site and at home.
SAMHSA Publications and Digital Products on Disaster Response
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration | External Website
Disaster response materials including resources for employers, supervisors and staff.
We're Here to Help
We can support a customized plan for your team, including:
- Assessment of current state and needs
- Creation of improvement plans
- Implementation strategies
Contact us to learn more.