Welcome to 2022!
It always feels like we come skidding into January, worn out by the workload and busyness of November and December. This year is definitely no different, although I think we’re just worn out. Period. The past couple of years have been the most challenging of our careers, and I’m somewhat skeptical of what 2022 has in store.
Most of what we’ve experienced has really been out of our control. We don’t control the supply chain, we just get asked to make do with what is, or isn’t, available. We don’t write the policies, we just flex and follow whatever new Covid rule or recommendation might be in place this week. We can’t keep our coworkers from leaving, whether it’s for a travel job, better hours across town, or because they’re walking away from healthcare altogether, but the hole they leave behind is always hard to fill – as a friend or mentor and as a team member. And working short-staffed sucks – we all know it.
That doesn’t mean I’m not hopeful.
There’s something about starting a new year that just naturally makes you think about the future. Who wouldn’t hope that 2022 would be better, right? And while so many things are still out of our control, that doesn’t mean all hope is lost.
We can’t control when supplies will be available. We can’t control Covid, vaccines, or the hot-bed of opinions surrounding the pandemic. We certainly can’t control the career decisions that other people make – they’re doing what’s best for them. But, like we’ve all heard before, what we can control is our own actions and our own responses to the situations we find ourselves in.
How will you respond in 2022?
January starts out as a month of new beginnings, goal setting, forming new habits or breaking bad ones, and working on improving ourselves. Even those of us who are averse to the idea of “New Year’s Resolutions” still have goals, things we aspire to, or things about ourselves that we want to change or improve – even if we don’t give those goals a label.
Personal and professional improvement isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it’s necessary for change and growth, otherwise we’ll just be static or stagnant, stuck in the same motionless cycle, year after year. So if we can’t change what’s going on around us, how do we respond personally and professionally to improve ourselves?
Build resilience
We’ve heard this word so much lately. But what does it really mean? Ultimately, it describes a person’s ability to bounce back after a stressful or traumatic event, but it also refers to building strength and strategies to withstand stressful events before they occur. (source) Resilience isn’t necessarily inherent to some individuals, rather, it’s a skill that can be developed by anyone.
According to an article published by Arkansas State University, we can build resilience by “creating and maintaining a professional network, [practicing] self-care strategies, and [maintaining] a work-life balance.” I encourage you to read their article, or any of the thousands of other articles written about resilience. Yes, it’s a buzzword right now. And before I did very much reading about it, I really felt like it was just my company’s fancy way of saying, “Get over it and get back to work.” After studying it more, I can appreciate the value of building resiliency, and all of us would benefit from building habits and skills that help us withstand the traumatic events that will inevitably occur in our lives.
Don’t neglect your mental health
Don’t bottle up the emotions and experiences from this past year and ignore them. Make healing a priority. There’s all this talk about being in a “new normal,” but things don’t necessarily feel very normal, do they? We’re all carrying baggage and dealing with loss from Covid in various ways. Some of us have lost loved ones and coworkers. For others, it’s the constant exposure to death and suffering that we’ve never experienced before. Or perhaps it’s just the constant fear of the unknown, or the stress of working in an unfamiliar situation. Maybe it’s the increased surgical volume mixed with decreased staff, and you’re just tired of being tired. You’re tired of working so hard, and feeling unsupported by leadership. You’re continually asked for more, but you don’t really feel like you have anything left to give.
It’s ok to feel overwhelmed. It’s ok to need to talk to someone. It’s ok to grieve how things have changed since the pandemic began, and it’s ok to ask for help. Talk to someone. Address what’s going on with you. Learn new coping skills and stress management tactics. Tackle the PTSD, the loss, the grief, the anger, and the frustration. Deal with it – not to put it behind you and to ignore it, but so that you can move forward – stronger, and better able to handle whatever may come next.
Set professional goals
Do you want to go back to school to earn your bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate? Are you interested in advancing in your department? Does leadership or education interest you? Pursue what you’re passionate about! When you do what you love, it shows. Make this year the year that you take that first step towards something new that benefits you professionally.
This is one of my professional goals for 2022. Thanks to a very generous offer from Jim Stobinski at CCI, I’m preparing for the CSSM certification and testing later this spring. It’s nerve wracking, for sure. But I’ll write all about my experience after I pass the test (I’m thinking positive thoughts lol).
What’s your goal?
Set personal goals
We’ve all got personal goals, whether we give them a label or not: lose weight, improve financial status, exercise more, eat healthier, spend more time with family, etc. While we may not perfectly achieve any of these, we shouldn’t throw in the towel as soon as we mess up, either. So don’t toss your goals on January 7th when you’re one week in and everything hasn’t been perfect. Personal growth and development is just as important as professional development. And oftentimes, when we focus on our personal growth, that overflows into other areas of our lives as well. So whatever you want to accomplish this year, go for it! Don’t give up when it gets hard. Next December you’ll appreciate the fact that you kept going.
Personally, I love music and I love quilting. But thanks to the busyness of life and work, I haven’t had much time for either. I’m planning to prioritize time for both this year. Playing the piano is something that I enjoy, and it helps me relax (most of the time, anyway). I’m also aiming to complete one quilt – the one I promised my sister I’d sew for her three years ago. Erin, if you’re reading this, 2022 is your year! Ha!
How will you grow this year?
To continue working in the healthcare profession in 2022, we all need to think about our own resilience, our mental health, and our professional and personal development. We’re still going to be dealing with the pandemic, the staffing shortage, supply chain issues, and whatever else 2022 may throw our way. But how well we respond to any of those challenges depends entirely on us and how prepared we are to face whatever circumstance may come our way. So don’t take caring for yourself lightly. Prioritizing yourself makes you stronger and, ultimately, fuels your ability to continue to care for others.
Until next time,
Melanie
Read More:
- You Must Make Yourself A Priority
- The Truth About Bad Behavior in the OR
- A Proper Time Out is Always Best Practice
Tune In:
Season 2 of First Case launched TODAY! We’re talking about the future of digital surgery and how technology is advancing to allow for remote surgery and wider patient access to specialists. It’s an intersting topic that you don’t want to miss! You can listen here.