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Humanities at the Bedside

Connections - Session D

Mindfulness Training Prevents Burnout, Boosts Compassion Among Doctors

Caring for Oneself to Care for Others: Physicians and Their Self-Care 

Debriefing: An Expert Panel’s How-to Guide 

 Guiding Discussion:

  1. Debriefing from a stressful scenario is practiced in many professions. Why do you think that connections are repeatedly emphasized in tempering stress in crisis? Make a list of the benefits of such exercises.
  2. Does your emergency department or practice setting routinely debrief?  If not, what reasons could you provide to initiate a trial for implementation? If you do, could it be done better, as outlined in the final article?
  3. In what ways have you observed or experiences doctors practicing poor self-care? Besides debriefing immediately after an intense clinical encounter, what other types of self-care could be implemented for emergency medicine physicians? Where do you think emergency medicine as a specialty compares to other fields? 

Exercise: 

There are numerous medical sites, blogs, and groups to which doctors join for professional and personal connection. A summary list is offered here. Find a group that you would be interested in joining (and join if so inclined). What about that group is particularly appealing to you?

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