Give It a Name

Names are important. In patient care, providing a name to diagnose what is going on (eg, “We are treating pulseless electrical activity”) creates clarity for a team working together. Similarly, naming a concern (eg, “Could this patient be developing sepsis?”) provides a framework for data interpretation and a direction for interventions. In our personal lives, naming emotions (sadness, anger, fear) helps us cope with them. In our professional lives, differentiating between impacts such as compassion fatigue (an effect of exposure to patients’ suffering or trauma) and burnout (an effect of a difficult organizational environment) can help guide the response.¹  Naming an issue can be incredibly helpful in dealing with it.

We are halfway through 2021 and more than 1 year into the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of us may be feeling resilient or experiencing compassion satisfaction (a sense of the positive impact of care provided).¹  Others may be struggling...