Self care: A necessary skill for health professionals

One of the skills that most adults need to learn is self-care. As resident physicians, this is especially important because residents sometimes work physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting schedules, which can be harmful to themselves and their ability provide professional patient care - and the effects may not show right away.

It takes time to learn these skills, and your individual training programs, as well as Hurley Medical Center itself, will give you many options to learn, practice and implement them. See below for some of the options.

Hurley Medical Center's Employee Wellness Department offers an array of fitness options, including outdoor classes.

However, what happens when you find yourself stuck and at your wit’s end? Or what if you are worried about a colleague who is showing signs of stress, burnout, depression, anxiety, exhaustion or other concerning signs?

If you are having a tough time – or notice a colleague is having a tough time – then it is time to take action – before you (or your colleague) suffer serious health setbacks.

The easiest way to get started is to contact Hurley’s Human Resource Department and talk to the Hurley Employee Advocate, who also coordinates the Employee Assistance Plan (EAP). He can direct you to the appropriate place to get help fast.

Or see the other options, below.

Harassment & Other Incidents

• First try any of the 22 people listed in How to Raise Problems or Concerns
• Or contact Employee Advocate Jamal Dozier by email or phone.

Workplace Well-Being Opportunities

• Nap rooms (separate rooms for females & males)
• Lactation pods (main hospital & children's clinic at Flint Farmers' Market)
• Reimbursement for a one-way local ride home if too fatigued to drive yourself (cab, Uber, Lyft, etc.)
• On-site 24/7 free fitness center
• Weekly wellness offerings, such as chair massages (pay per minute), nutritional food samples & recipes, incentives for physical fitness & health screenings, etc.
• Designated GME wellness days/events with enrichment & education for residents, fellows & faculty
• On-site cafeteria & Jazzman's Cafe
• Hurley Community Wellness Path with fitness stations across the street from the main building
• Close proximity to award-winning Flint Farmers' Market
• Quiet library to study
• State-of-the-art education center
• Multiple workstation rooms for convenient access to computers & dictation equipment

Policies related to wellness

Available on the Hurley Intranet or in GME’s online classroom, eGME, in All GME > Administration > Standard Practices & Policies

• SP 0011 Hurley Non-Retaliation Policy
• SP 0176 Hurley Professional Staff Health & Wellness Policy
• SP 0035 Hurley Standard Practice: Family and Medical Leave Act
• SP 0300 Hurley Smoke-Free Healing Environment and Restricted Smoking Campus Policy
• SP 0387 Hurley Safe Workplace Policy
• SP 2805 Hurley Employee Assistance Program
• SP 2827 Hurley Standard Practice: Americans with Disabilities and Rehabilitation Act
• SP 2828 Hurley Equal Employment Opportunity/Non-Discrimination Policy (Title VII Policy)
• SP 2877 Hurley Standard Practice: Unlawful Harassment
• SP 2878 Hurley Drug-Free Workplace Policy
• SP 2879 Hurley Substance Abuse Policy
• SP 2880 Hurley Standard Practice: Voluntary Self-Referral to Employee Assistance Program, EAP
• SP D01 Hurley GME Standard Practice: Exception to Clinical Experience and Educational work Hour Limits
• SP D16 Hurley GME Standard Practice: Resident and Teaching Faculty: A Clinical Learning Environment Free from Threats, Intimidation, and Retaliation
• SP D19 Hurley GME Policy for Well-Being in Graduate Medical Education
• SP D27 Hurley GME Standard Practice: Resident Physician Clinical and Educational Work Hours Alertness Management and Fatigue Mitigation
• SP D33 Supervision Policy for Hurley Medical Center / Michigan state University Residency and Fellowship Training Programs
• SP D35 GME Transitions of Care and Hand-over Policy