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Kolkata: Many doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers are experiencing symptoms of anxiety, stress, depression and even insomnia. Even as these Covid warriors are going strong physically, the stress factor is taking a toll on their mental health, felt experts. Some hospitals are organising regular counselling sessions for them, particularly for those working in the Covid wards, so that they can go back to the battlefield afresh each day.
“A young colleague died a few days ago despite the general belief that the virus is less aggressive on young patients. It is scary but we cannot turn our back on Covid patients,” said a young doctor attached with the Covid ward of a private hospital. The doctor has voluntarily kept himself away from the family for almost two months for their safety.
Sanjay Garg, consultant mental health and behavioural sciences at Fortis Hospital, said some issues like dealing with a new virus, which they did not read in their textbooks, the ever changing guidelines on treatment protocol, staying away from family are taking a toll on the mental health of the frontline warriors. “In addition to counselling Covid patients, we are also conducting counselling sessions for our doctors and nurses once a week in order to help them cope with the stress,” said Garg.
A young doctor working at Medical College and Hospital said wearing the PPE itself was stressful. “Wearing the PPE, I cannot eat, drink or even go to the toilet. Enduring and overcoming such distractions in order to concentrate on the patient day in and day out is quite stressful,” he added.
“The patients are so terrified and apprehensive. Therefore, in addition to the treatment, we need to pacify and re-assure them. It takes a lot of patience and time. I can’t even sleep at times due to the stress. But I will go on seeing patients despite the stress,” said internal medicine and critical care expert Rahul Jain of Belle Vue Clinic.
“Now with hospitals running out of beds, I wonder if I will get a bed in my own hospital in case I get infected,” said a nurse working in a Covid ward of hospital in Salt Lake.
“The frontline healthworkers are working under an extremely unique situation and intense scrutiny. It is definitely taking a toll on their mental well-being. They are dispirited. But they know they have to carry on,” said Jai Ranjan Ram, psychiatrist at Apollo Glenagles Hospitals.
AMRI Hospitals, too, is conducting counselling sessions for its doctors and nurses. “The fight is against an unseen enemy. We do not know if we are using the right weapon. We do not know when the battle will end. But we should keep going,” said another doctor of a hospital off EM Bypass.
“A young colleague died a few days ago despite the general belief that the virus is less aggressive on young patients. It is scary but we cannot turn our back on Covid patients,” said a young doctor attached with the Covid ward of a private hospital. The doctor has voluntarily kept himself away from the family for almost two months for their safety.
Sanjay Garg, consultant mental health and behavioural sciences at Fortis Hospital, said some issues like dealing with a new virus, which they did not read in their textbooks, the ever changing guidelines on treatment protocol, staying away from family are taking a toll on the mental health of the frontline warriors. “In addition to counselling Covid patients, we are also conducting counselling sessions for our doctors and nurses once a week in order to help them cope with the stress,” said Garg.
A young doctor working at Medical College and Hospital said wearing the PPE itself was stressful. “Wearing the PPE, I cannot eat, drink or even go to the toilet. Enduring and overcoming such distractions in order to concentrate on the patient day in and day out is quite stressful,” he added.
“The patients are so terrified and apprehensive. Therefore, in addition to the treatment, we need to pacify and re-assure them. It takes a lot of patience and time. I can’t even sleep at times due to the stress. But I will go on seeing patients despite the stress,” said internal medicine and critical care expert Rahul Jain of Belle Vue Clinic.
“Now with hospitals running out of beds, I wonder if I will get a bed in my own hospital in case I get infected,” said a nurse working in a Covid ward of hospital in Salt Lake.
“The frontline healthworkers are working under an extremely unique situation and intense scrutiny. It is definitely taking a toll on their mental well-being. They are dispirited. But they know they have to carry on,” said Jai Ranjan Ram, psychiatrist at Apollo Glenagles Hospitals.
AMRI Hospitals, too, is conducting counselling sessions for its doctors and nurses. “The fight is against an unseen enemy. We do not know if we are using the right weapon. We do not know when the battle will end. But we should keep going,” said another doctor of a hospital off EM Bypass.
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