"Celebrate the proven strength of the anesthesia care team" - An Open Letter to Our Young Anesthesiologists and Critical Care team.

Dear Editor,

No speciality has been affected in such a dramatic way as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, than the fields of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine. As a young doctor entering the field of anesthesiology in such a time of great uncertainty and change, it is only natural why anybody will re-consider the choices you’ve made, especially in the face of your current struggle. As I complete my first few years actively practicing this speciality, I have not been more struck by the incredible and selfless examples set by anesthesiologists the world over, fighting against COVID-19. As their acts of courage and grit in admittedly frightening and difficult situations continue to inspire generations of doctors throughout the world, it has, like for many I know across generations of anesthesiologists, reaffirmed our decision to become one. Media is replete with examples of anesthesiologists demonstrating professionalism, tenacity and innovation while treating patients affected by COVID-19. So if you’re an anesthesiologist or a budding one, you need to pat your back for doing what you do, and I am here to assure you that amid this feeling of anxiety, isolation and angst, we are all in this together.

However, as we are wearing our capes and are being called into action, we need to counter fear. The way to counter fear and break away from the vicious circle of obsessive and unproductive discussions is to promote attitudes and actions that raise morale. This can be done by various measures including - promoting work–life balance among employees, investing in trust building, going beyond “My door is always open”, giving teammates a chance to interact outside the office, support employee-led initiatives and by educating staff members on insurance and medical claims.

When employees feel like their concerns are being listened to, they bring in several benefits such as quicker work turnover rates[1], lesser distraction and most importantly it illustrates a caring attitude.

Dear younger colleagues, you will realize how important it is to motivate those around you; to have a more forthcoming attitude, contributing with ideas and initiatives, meeting adversity with resourcefulness. That, multiplied by each of you can make significant changes in patient care and care for self. Each of us must act as if we had been chosen to trigger a cascade of motivation, confidence and mutual support. If there are two of us, we will be all the stronger for it. If there are more, the group will become all the more confident and determined. Anesthesiologist’s value and practice teamwork. We are good at forming teams and know from our daily experience that teamwork and mutual support will provide us with a sense of reassurance and commitment.[2]

Anesthesiology is a leader in safety, so we are particularly well placed to raise safety levels in the present circumstances. Public health authorities and society at large are now engaged in multiple initiatives that allow us to feel optimistic about having all the personal protective equipment we need is an enormous contribution. Clinicians working in anesthesiology tend to be risk averse and interested in patient safety because anesthesia can be dangerous but has no therapeutic benefit of its own.[3] Even when the American Medical Association decided to create a National Patient Safety Foundation it did so in open imitation of the methods and success of the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation.[4]

Health-care workers (HCWs) have continued to provide care for patients despite exhaustion, personal risk of infection, fear of transmission to family members, illness or death of friends and colleagues, and the loss of many patients. When long shifts are combined with unprecedented population restrictions, including personal isolation, it has affected an individuals’ ability to cope. Thus, work on enhancing resilience and engagement in work at an individual doctor level, in a positive work environment that helps doctors achieve work−life balance. This will help prevent burnout among doctors. If we fail to take these conscious steps in self-preservation, we stand at risk of being gradually and uncompromisingly ground down by the stresses that are inherent in a career in intensive care.

The young doctors like you are crucial to the people of our country, for its economy, for its people’s health and for our collective futures. As a front-line worker and also as a teacher, I have been seeing this conflict of choice weighing in my mind of my younger colleagues. And I find that the scale keeps tipping, first one way, then the other. Which is why I am writing this letter to you, as one professional to another, in the hope that you will come to terms with the nobility and uniqueness of your craft, and knowing that will tip the balance to put this matter to rest, and propel you to go back to saving lives.

So help them breathe, and join in the joy of healing.

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.