“As part of our commitment to providing a full complement of mental health and wellness benefits, we offer comprehensive health and wellness services at no charge through our Employee Assistance Program, along with several other programs and resources available to all employees. through their health insurance plans. . We encourage our entire workforce to take advantage of these benefits,” he added.
The researchers hope that PAM will help healthcare workers navigate the long-term effects of the pandemic, such as chronic stress and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as other difficult situations. Although the program was developed with healthcare workers in mind, it is accessible to anyone with a computer or mobile phone who needs help. It’s also free.
Mental health support on the go
“In our practices, we tailor mental health tools to each person’s needs, and we thought, ‘Is there a way to scale that and bring some of that benefit to healthcare workers who may need mental health support at some point? moment? your day?’” Wiltsey Stirman said.
In developing PAM, Wiltsey Stirman and Kaysen drew on tools widely used in psychotherapy practices. But they also sought input from a range of healthcare workers, students and hospital staff, asking them to weigh in on what was helpful and what needed improvement.
Emily Brown, RN, a nurse at Stanford Hospital who helps manage the emergency department’s Wellness and Engagement Committee, heard about Kaysen’s website. She reached out to Brown hoping to try it out, weighing everything from the color and word choice to the ease of use of the website and her mental health videos.
“I really liked the idea of this program, because it offers help when you need it, on your schedule,” Brown said. She believes that PAM can provide an outlet for those who need a sounding board or seek validation or acknowledgment of their feelings. “I am definitely going to implement the program in my department; I have high hopes for this and am excited for it to be available to our team,” she said.
In early tests, many said that even though they weren’t using the website formally, it helped them on a bad day. “Several people spoke about how it helped them refocus on what’s most important,” said Wiltsey Stirman.
help to customize
People who use Pause a Moment answer a few questions on a website that tells the program how they’re feeling, whether they’re sad, anxious, depressed or something else.
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