Leaving the Trauma at Work: Leaving the Trauma at Work: Self Care and Compassion Self Care and Compassion

FatigueFatigue

Logan G. Rutherford, M.Div., BCC, FT Logan G. Rutherford, M.Div., BCC, FT Chaplain, Trauma Services Chaplain, Trauma Services Memorial Hermann Hospital , Texas Medical Memorial Hermann Hospital , Texas Medical CenterCenter

Top 5 indicators you may be Top 5 indicators you may be suffering from poor self suffering from poor self care and work-life balance:care and work-life balance:

1.1. It’s October and you have enough unused PTO to It’s October and you have enough unused PTO to make it through the end of the year without make it through the end of the year without working.working.

2.2. To your horror, you discover you not only missed To your horror, you discover you not only missed your child’s first birthday party, you did not even your child’s first birthday party, you did not even know this child had been born.know this child had been born.

3.3. You have seriously considered the possibility of You have seriously considered the possibility of intravenous caffeine infusions.intravenous caffeine infusions.

4.4. The sound of your child’s handheld electronic game The sound of your child’s handheld electronic game system causes you to reflexively reach for your system causes you to reflexively reach for your pager.pager.

5.5. You have both your gastroenterologist and your You have both your gastroenterologist and your cardiologist on speed-dial.cardiologist on speed-dial.

Stress -- Warning Signs and SymptomsCognitive Symptoms Emotional Symptoms

Memory problems Inability to concentrate Poor judgment Seeing only the negative Anxious or racing thoughts Constant worrying

Moodiness Irritability or short temper Agitation, inability to relax Feeling overwhelmed Sense of loneliness and isolation Depression or general unhappiness

Physical Symptoms Behavioral Symptoms

Aches and pains Diarrhea or constipation Nausea, dizziness Chest pain, rapid heartbeat Loss of sex drive Frequent colds

Eating more or less Sleeping too much or too little Isolating yourself from others Procrastinating or neglecting

responsibilities Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)

http://helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm

Signs of Compassion Signs of Compassion FatigueFatigue Definition Definition Some common Some common

signs:signs:– Worn-out Worn-out – Emotionally Emotionally

draineddrained– Still care, want to Still care, want to

help, but lack the help, but lack the emotional energy emotional energy to do so to do so

General tools to help General tools to help maintain good self maintain good self carecare Set limits on professional and personal Set limits on professional and personal

responsibilities.responsibilities. Learn to differentiate between your Learn to differentiate between your

circle of influence and your circle of circle of influence and your circle of concern.concern.

Prioritize.Prioritize. Make relationships a high priority.Make relationships a high priority. Work hard and then leave.Work hard and then leave.

General tools to help General tools to help maintain good self care maintain good self care cont…cont…

Attend to your emotions. Attend to your emotions. Process your own grief.Process your own grief. Utilize rituals to help separate work Utilize rituals to help separate work

life from home life.life from home life. Restore laughter and smile. Restore laughter and smile. Learn to manage/tolerate difficult Learn to manage/tolerate difficult

people. people.

Our Challenge?Our Challenge?

The challenge we face The challenge we face collectively is to continue to collectively is to continue to see and treat every patient see and treat every patient with dignity and respect, love with dignity and respect, love and compassion, irrespective of and compassion, irrespective of their behaviors and attitudes.their behaviors and attitudes. – Sounds easy right?Sounds easy right?

A religious approach to A religious approach to difficult people: difficult people:

God created man in his God created man in his image; in the divine image; in the divine image he created image he created him; male and female him; male and female he created them. he created them. (Gen. 1:27)(Gen. 1:27)

EVERY person is made in EVERY person is made in the same image and the same image and likeness as you and I.likeness as you and I.

A secular approach to A secular approach to difficult people:difficult people:

1.1. Remember that each Remember that each person you encounter person you encounter is loved by someone is loved by someone else as much as you else as much as you love your children. love your children.

2.2. When we treat others When we treat others with dignity and with dignity and respect we don’t have respect we don’t have control over how they control over how they will react.will react.

Spiritual Practices:Spiritual Practices:

Person of prayer Observe the Sabbath Practice MeditationPractice Meditation Recite AffirmationsRecite Affirmations

Remember !Remember !

YOUYOU are the tool – the are the tool – the wonderful instrument of your wonderful instrument of your trade – take good care of your trade – take good care of your instrument! instrument!

Burn the candles, use the Burn the candles, use the nice china plates and new nice china plates and new sheets. Don’t save them for sheets. Don’t save them for special occasions – TODAY IS special occasions – TODAY IS SPECIAL! SPECIAL!