Dr. Sarah Samreen adjusted her maroon hijab and raised her hands to begin Isha, the fifth prayer of the day, at the Muslim Children Education and Civic Center in San Antonio. When she finished her worship, the clock read 8:15 p.m.
Healthcare workers across the US are burned out. More than half of nurses and physicians, 60% of medical students and residents, and 61% to 75% of pharmacists reported having symptoms of burnout in the National Academy of Medicine’s“This has been a trend that started before COVID but gotten much worse after COVID,” said Dr. Victor Dzau, president of the organization.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, his focus was shifting from critical care to pulmonary and sleep medicine. However, the pandemic upended those plans. Overnight, he became an internist and saw firsthand some of the horrors of the disease; young patients were having heart attacks and rapid respiratory failures.
As a kid growing up in South Central Los Angeles, Adkins said he would use music to drown out the police sirens, gun violence, and helicopters that flew over his neighborhood. MTV and VH1 became his solace. When a music video played, he said, he felt as though he was being pulled out of his environment.
These experiences have sometimes resulted in anxiety and depression, she said. And to cope, in addition to prayer, she has found comfort in the Native American belief that “being a healer is something that's the highest honor because you are taking your time and you're helping others in the community.“
Keogh pushes a cart around the hospital inviting healthcare workers to take a breather. She plays relaxing music and quickly converts doctors' lounges and patient waiting areas into dimly lit spaces. She offers them an herbal tea and uses essential oils to scent the space.