Clinicians who protect their own health provide better care for others and are less likely to make errors or leave the profession.
 |
Christine Moutier, M.D. |
Dr. Moutier, chief medical officer for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, was one of four guest speakers at UNMC’s April 19 Breakthrough Thinking Conference, which is designed to challenge and inspire attendees to creatively solve problems.
Dr. Moutier said the issue of suicide prevention is personal. She was at the University of California-San Diego (UCSD) in 2002 when a prominent faculty member took his life. That incident brought to light more than a dozen physician suicides over a 15-year period and mobilized the campus to tackle suicide prevention.
“Suicide death is the tragic outcome of much more,” she said, including depression, burnout and distress. While some adversity allows individuals to learn and grow, it “also can trip us up and deteriorate our mental health.”
Creating a culture of wellness takes a concerted effort, she said, noting that health care providers are less likely than other members of the public to seek mental health treatment.
Resilience, however, is based on internal attributes (genetics, optimism), external attributes (modeling, trauma) and skills (problem solving, finding meaning/purpose) and, like a muscle, can be strengthened through realistic recognition; exercise, sleep and nutrition; supportive professional relationships; and talking things out with others over coffee or through mentoring.
“Psychotherapy is akin to executive coaching,” she said, and helps individuals identify and understand their resilience attributes and any underlying factors — biological, psychological or past history – that creates a latent risk for suicide.
UCSD’s wellness suicide prevention program included a robust campaign to educate, destigmatize and improve mental health. UNMC leaders, too, have emphasized awareness, and, last week, noted the many resources available to faculty, staff and students from Arbor Family Counseling to the ICU (Identify. Connect. Understand) program.
See the wellness website for more resources and information.
The virtues of leadership — hope, wisdom and balance among others — also can promote well-being, said Karl Haden, Ph.D., founder and president of the Academy for Academic Leadership and co-author of “The 9 Virtues of Exceptional Leaders: Unlocking Your Leadership Potential.”
Dr. Haden said, “As leaders, I hope you ask yourself: What is the right thing to do? And, what kind of person should I be?”
The aim of leadership is human flourishing, or happiness, Dr. Haden said. “As leaders, you help people do the things that tap into their potential. You can’t guarantee emotional happiness for people, but you can create conditions where they can pursue it.”
So, what motivates people to work? Dr. Haden listed three factors: autonomy (having freedom to create and contribute), mastery (getting better at what one does) and purpose (knowing that what one does matters).
Ultimately, leadership, he said, is not about one’s self, but about others.