Baltimore Doctor On Front Lines Of Coronavirus Pandemic Talks About Health Care Workers' Mental Health
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen the weary faces of the health care workers on the front lines who are risking their own health to save others.
Methods of treating COVID-19 are changing rapidly and doctors are scrambling to keep up, said Dr. Bobby Burches, an anesthesiologist from Baltimore who is working at a hospital in New Hampshire amid the pandemic.
"There are constant changes coming up in terms of what we are understanding as it relates to how this virus operates," Burches said.
CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES:
- Coronavirus Resources: How To Get Help In Maryland
- Coronavirus In Maryland: What We Know
- Coronavirus-Related Closings
- Latest coronavirus stories from WJZ
The constantly-changing information and standards, as well as the need to protect oneself at all times, can lead to fear, Burches added.
"There's just a hyper-concern about protecting yourself at all times which is palpable from the folks who clean the rooms down to every nurse and every physician you come in contact with," he said.
The constant battle can also take a toll on health care workers' mental health: over the weekend, New York City emergency room doctor Lorna Breen died by suicide while visiting family in Charlottesville, Virginia, CBS New York reports.
Breen told her father she was dealing with countless patients, some who were dying before even leaving an ambulance.
While Breen's story is an extreme case, it demonstrates just how emotionally draining it is for doctors and others who are trying to save lives.
Burches has also spoken about the mental health struggles health care workers are facing -- he recently posted a video on his YouTube page talking about the subject.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or have thoughts of suicide, there are resources available to help.
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
- Maryland Crisis Hotline: 211, option 1
- For more, click here.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
