The diagnosis is final: there is anxiety, there is distress and you have to act quickly before it becomes post-traumatic shock
, worries the Minister for Health and Social Services, Lionel Carmant.
According to an epidemiological survey by the National Institute of Public Health (INSPQ) (New window) survey of healthcare workers released Tuesday, 48.1% of the 5,330 participants who contracted COVID-19 say they experienced high or very high psychological distress in the month before the survey. This proportion was similar, at 46.3% among the 1515 participants without the disease. The questionnaire was completed on February 22.
However, those that Prime Minister François Legault nicknamed our guardian angels
hesitate to ask for help. From the start of the pandemic, the employee assistance program for healthcare workers was enhanced. A sum of $ 14 million had been invested to offer three additional sessions of psychological support.
People don’t raise their hands, they’re scared for privacy or other reasons
, notes Minister Carmant.% to 10% and we did not see a significant increase over time “,” text “:” The increase in demand was around 5% to 10% and we did not see a significant increase over time “}}” lang = “fr”>The increase in demand was around 5% to 10% and we did not see a significant increase over time., he continues.
Watchmen for the guardian angels
A new remedy will therefore be administered in the network, at a cost of 10 million dollars.
Some 8,000 employees will receive training from the Red Cross to intervene with their colleagues and detect signs of distress. The minister calls them the watchmen
. They will be supported by 600 other workers who will play the role of peer helpers.
In each establishment, there will be people who will have additional training in psychosocial intervention and who will be appointed as the peer helpers who will come to support their teams.
, explains Lionel Carmant.
There we hope that the network will take care of itself.
A task which therefore requires a certain skill; but volunteers are asked to do it on their working time or during their break.
When the problem is beyond the abilities of watchmen and peer helpers, however, they may turn to new resources, psychologists or social workers. There are one to three full-time equivalents per establishment
, says Minister Carmant.
The Watch and Peer Helpers program is expected to kick off across the province in the coming weeks. Training is already underway.
This treatment may not cure all ailments, but it is hoped that it will alleviate the distress.
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