New Mental Health Resource for Maine Frontline Healthcare Workers
Personally, I can't imagine the toll the last 4 months have had on our frontline healthcare workers.
For some, their entire routine was flipped upside-down. Nurses were pulled in different directions as elective surgeries were postponed. Suddenly tents were popping up, PPE was difficult to come by, and days were spent shoving essentially a giant Q-tip into patient after patient.
Some found themselves treating patients on ventilators. Others in care facilities faced lockdowns. At best they had to see their beloved patients question why loved ones couldn't visit, at worst, COVID-19 ran rampant through the facility.
Some healthcare workers feared going home and exposing their own loved ones. Opting to self-quarantine. Others had to juggle the work stress and then come home to kids struggling with online schooling.
This sudden extreme change thanks to the pandemic has been a lot to us all and especially our frontline healthcare workers. NAMI Maine (National Alliance on Mental Illness) recognized that and decided to do something about it.
They set up a warmline. A phone hotline that's operated by peers. It's called Frontline Warmline and it was created specifically to help this population. It's a free service and is confidential.
To reach the Frontline Warmline call: (207) 221-8196 or 1-866-367-4440.