We know that healthcare workers are burned out and exhausted. Provider mental health is a huge issue… but are the institutions listening? This week, burnout expert Dr. Jessi Gold talks to us about (obviously) burnout, but also ways HCW* can start to change the workplace culture into one that actually values their human workforce. Sound unlikely? Listen in to find out.  

*We talk a bunch about HCW in this episode, but the topics involved are relevant to everyone who feels even a little bit exhausted by the pressures of the world! 

Want your questions answered on the show? To submit your questions by voicemail, call us at (323) 643-3768 or visit megandevine.co

In this episode we cover:

• Can you be emotionless and still practice good medicine?
• How medical training seeks out perfectionists, and then uses that perfectionism as a way to wring out even more work 
• Why you can’t self-care your way out of burnout, but you can support yourself inside the catastrophe
• Ways to get the administration to start valuing their workforce (spoiler: it involves speaking the language of capitalism!) 

Notable quotes: 

“The mental health system is broken. You can’t fix it by breaking yourself.” - Dr. Jessi Gold.

“Let's borrow from the c-suite, let’s borrow tactics from the upper levels of the industry - they do have a balance sheet at the end of the day. They need to know there’s economic benefit to valuing peoples’ humanity and their limits. Denying people their humanity costs us.” - Megan Devine

Guest Bio: 

Dr. Jessi Gold is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis. She’s a nationally recognized expert on healthcare worker mental health and burnout (particularly during the pandemic). Her work can be found in major publications like The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and TIME. Find the “burned out burnout expert” at www.Dr.JessiGold.com and on TW @drjessigold

Questions to Carry with you:

• Tell yourself the truth about one thing. Why is that important? Listen to the episode to find out. 

Resources: 

For resources related to healthcare worker mental health, check out: 

• physician’s support line on social @shrinkrapping
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention on social @afspnational
• provider resource hub developed by @theNAMedicine) 
• Emotional PPE

Looking for more training as you navigate grief on the job and in your life? Check out megandevine.co for consulting, resources, and upcoming trainings

Get in touch: 

Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of Here After with Megan Devine. Tune in, subscribe, leave a review, send in your questions, and share the show with everyone you know. Together, we can make things better, even when they can’t be made right. 

To submit your questions by voicemail, call us at (323) 643-3768 or visit megandevine.co

For more information, including clinical training and consulting, visit us at www.Megandevine.co

For grief support & education, follow us at @refugeingrief on IG, FB, & TW

Check out Megan’s best-selling books - It’s Okay That You're Not Okay and How to Carry What Can’t Be Fixed