Across the country, nurses and health care workers are experiencing a silent mental health crisis. Short staffing, punishing workloads, widespread violence – these are everyday realities contributing to the stress and trauma health workers are suffering.
Aiming to give voice to this silent crisis, the CFNU conducted a first-of-its-kind national study, Mental Disorder Symptoms Among Nurses in Canada. According to the study, nurses experience widespread and severe symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, burnout, and suicidal behaviour. Nurses’ rates of mental disorder are higher than for the general population and often higher than for public safety personnel such as firefighters and paramedics.
In response to this crisis, the CFNU has partnered with Wellness Together Canada to share this resource with health care workers, their families and their patients. Wellness Together Canada is Canada’s first and only online platform offering immediate, 24/7 mental health and substance abuse support for all ages – and it is funded entirely by the Government of Canada.
The platform offers a stepped care approach, where users choose the level and types of support they are most comfortable with – from a mental health self-assessment, to mindfulness workshops, to live phone, video or text counselling with a mental health professional or crisis responder.
Go to WellnessTogether.ca for free support, available 24/7. You can also access the service anonymously if you prefer. For immediate crisis support, front line workers are encouraged to text FRONTLINE to 741741.