Emotional and psychological distress among health care workers during a pandemic can be expected. During these times, Nebraska Medicine and UNMC have resources available to providers or their immediate family if needed.
To provide assistance, the psychiatry and psychology departments have prioritized health care colleagues, including doctors, APPs, nurses, respiratory therapists, care techs, medical assistants, environmental staff and any other patient-facing provider or staff member.
Nebraska Medicine and UNMC frontline providers can call for a behavioral health services appointment, and they will be prioritized to have a telehealth visit scheduled within one week. No primary care provider referral is needed to make the appointment.
“We are appreciative of the priority and service that our own Psychiatry and Psychology Departments are providing to our colleagues,” said Nebraska Medicine Chief Human Capital Officer Frank Venuto. “They are living our values and clearly demonstrating ‘Be Extraordinary Together.'”
As of March 23, telehealth visits are covered under the Nebraska Medicine health plan administered by UMR. This includes behavioral telehealth visits as well. The cost of a telehealth visit will be applied to your deductible and out-of-pocket maximum.
“We know from the literature that psychological morbidity can occur after an outbreak has remitted rather than during its peak, so we plan to continue to prioritize our health care providers for as long as they need us,” said David Cates, Ph.D., director of behavioral health and vice chair of clinical services in the Nebraska Medicine Department of Psychiatry.
According to Dr. Cates, health care workers responding to infectious disease outbreaks are at risk for psychological distress, including post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety and insomnia.
“This has nothing to do with who becomes a health care provider, and everything to do with the unique challenges attendant to this work,” he said. “These challenges include fear of contracting the illness, concerns for the safety of family and friends, colleagues’ falling ill, possibly caring for such colleagues as patients, and fatigue and limited rest time.”
There are several additional resources. UNMC also offers counseling through Arbor Family Services; information is available on the UNMC Counseling Resources page. Nebraska Medicine services, including 1:1 peer support, resilience workshops, Behavioral Health Connection, and much more, can be found on the Counseling Resources page on the NOW.
“I encourage our colleagues to practice self-care and use these services or the other services available on the Counseling Resources page,” Venuto said. “Let’s support our families, teammates, and our other colleagues by being vigilant for signs of distress. We’re in this together and these services are here to support our colleagues.”
To make an appointment with the Psychiatry Clinic, call 402-552-6007. To make an appointment with the Psychology Department, call 402-559-5031.
“I have been inspired by our mental health providers who have universally volunteered to help front line medical colleagues and their families with the stress of the pandemic,” said Howard Liu, M.D., chair of the UNMC Department of Psychiatry. “The literature on physician wellness suggests we are not good at asking for help. The key is for health care leaders to role model that self-care, including mental health care, is a sign of strength and a cornerstone of our culture.”
“Some colleagues may be thinking, ‘This is my job and I should be able to manage my reactions without help,'” Dr. Cates said. “We are all human beings, and we all need help at times. This is one of those times.”