Turning the Lens Inward: The Psychological Elements of Clinician Well Being.

TitleTurning the Lens Inward: The Psychological Elements of Clinician Well Being.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2022
AuthorsShalev D, Traeger LN, Doyle K, Kiser SB, Brenner KO, Rosenberg LB, Jacobsen JC, Seaton M, Jackson VA
JournalJ Palliat Med
Volume25
Issue3
Pagination349-354
Date Published2022 Mar
ISSN1557-7740
KeywordsEmotions, Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing, Humans, Palliative Care, Peer Group
Abstract

This is the seventh entry in the Psychological Elements of Palliative Care (PEPC) series. Previous articles have focused on the psychological elements of the care we provide patients and the relationships we build with our referring clinician colleagues. In this entry, we focus on how the PEPC also impact clinician well being. The PEPC are bidirectional: we impact patients, but patients also impact us. The reactions that we have to patients and the boundaries we set around the care we provide are two examples of psychological factors of care that can influence our well being. Creating spaces to explore and reflect on the psychological impact of the clinical care we provide is a key component of wellness. Such spaces vary in their configuration, but all share the opportunity to self-reflect and to experience emotional validation, normalization, and reality testing from peers or mentors. In mental health training, clinical supervision is one common format for creating such a space. While this can be replicated in the palliative care setting, other strategies include integrating a psychological orientation into interdisciplinary team meetings, creating peer support or process groups, and creating small groups within teams for longitudinal self-reflection.

DOI10.1089/jpm.2021.0548
Alternate JournalJ Palliat Med
PubMed ID35085468
PubMed Central IDPMC10331146
Grant ListP30 AG022845 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
T32 AG049666 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States