Center to Advance Palliative Care

Hello,
Congratulations on being proactice on this important area for palliative care clinicians!
Here are a few ideas to incorporate self-care and team wellness as you develop policies for your program.
Strategic planning: make self care a focus and involve the team in identifying strategies and outcome measures related to self care activities.
Individual performance reviews: ask each team member to write a measurable goal for him/herself about self care and include in annual review.
Use the interdisciplinary team: chaplains and social workers bring their professional skills in facilitating groups, teaching relaxation techniques, providing support; make support of colleagues part of the palliative care chaplain/social worker's job description
Comunicate expectations for balancing work load ( leave early after a long day, take lunch hour even when busy) as part of a team charter or team commitment statement
Hospital resources: Suggest Employee Assistance Programs if available
Team self care begins with individual self care; each individual must assume responsibility for his/her own self care, and the work team and environment must actively support good self care practices.
Lyn Ceronsky
Director, Palliative Care
Fairview Health Services
A CAPC Palliative Care Leadership Center