Questioning the perception of healthcare workers as ‘superheroes’ who are dehumanised and not recognised as individuals facing their own struggles.
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 29 April (EUROPA PRESS) –
Burnout syndrome, moral suffering, and loss of confidence in the significance of their work are among the main consequences of the covid-19 pandemic on healthcare professionals, leading to an increased intention to leave the profession and impacting them personally and socially.
The HuMindLab group researchers at the University of La Laguna delve into these mental states and empathy in a medical context using a multimethod approach in a study published in the journal ‘Human Resources for Health’.
The study aims to highlight that the overwhelming admiration and praise for healthcare workers can paradoxically lead to a general indifference towards the challenging conditions they face daily.
This discrepancy was particularly evident during the pandemic, the researchers emphasise.
While the public narrative portrayed healthcare workers as heroes, there were clear inadequacies in efforts to enhance their resources and support.
“The extremely positive portrayal of healthcare workers as superheroes has several negative repercussions,” the experts point out.
They explain that the ‘superhero’ image contributes to their dehumanisation in a different way.
“Despite coming from a place of admiration, idolising them has adverse effects; it minimises the recognition of their human experience of discomfort and suffering,” they stress.
Recognising healthcare workers as possessing superhuman abilities overlooks their vulnerability to fatigue, decision-making under extreme circumstances involving fear of illness and death, according to the researchers.
By embracing a superhuman persona, the concept of vulnerability is omitted from the typical portrayal of healthcare workers and is “misunderstood by society,” they elaborate.
The aim of the research is to shed light on the concealed risks behind the praise narrative and emphasise the importance of acknowledging vulnerability.
Personal Resilience
“Healthcare professionals’ well-being initiatives have heavily focused on personal resilience, placing the burden of emotional distress on individuals,” the researchers elaborate.
Conversely, there is a shortage of intervention programmes addressing the responsibility of companies in safeguarding their employees’ well-being.
Embracing an image of heroism may lead to negative responses and attitudes from the system and organisation when one expresses vulnerability, potentially skewing the affected individuals’ self-perception, the experts highlight.
Within organisations, professionals may encounter stigma regarding any display of psychological discomfort – anticipated stigma – leading them to conceal their issues rather than seek help, they note.
Such processes reinforce stigma within a medical culture that promotes high expectations, emphasising self-sufficiency and the acceptance of physical and emotional exhaustion as part of professional identity.
Attending to personal needs and self-care might be viewed as self-centredness, and asking for help as a sign of weakness.
Normalising Vulnerability
The initial challenge lies in recognising vulnerability as a universal human trait, dissociating it from mental illness and emphasising its value in personal and professional development.
Shifting the focus from individual responsibility towards acknowledging the complexity of social realities is crucial, where emotional stressors are considered occupational hazards rather than mental health issues.
The third challenge revolves around enabling individuals or groups experiencing distress and burnout to voice their needs and receive social and organisational support.
Researchers from the University of La Laguna emphasise the cognitive effort required to share emotions related to the profession, fostering a sense of professional identity and belonging.
Healthcare organisations should embrace the shared responsibility framework and prioritise systemic solutions to address staff well-being, as the neglect of preventative measures and support mechanisms can be highly detrimental, they conclude.
