Healthy Initiatives and Northwell Health have launched a new program to train instructors in burnout prevention and stress first aid (SFA) among Ukrainian healthcare providers. This initiative aims to enhance the resilience and strength of individual professionals, as well as their families and colleagues, in the challenging conditions of war.
The liberated territory was chosen for the program’s launch for a reason. Research conducted in previous months in the Kyiv region showed that healthcare providers are experiencing burnout due to increased workloads and the almost complete disappearance of the boundary between work hours and rest. Residents of formerly occupied territories require more medical attention due to the stress they have endured and are seeking medical help more frequently. At the same time, the war spares no one: anxiety for loved ones, sleepless nights under shelling, and the lack of electricity and internet when work needs to be done—all of this weighs heavily on healthcare workers and reduces their time for rest and recovery. Stress undermines even professionals, weakening their resilience and ability to provide high-quality services.
It is expected that the trained instructors will later conduct training for doctors on stress management and burnout prevention for the entire professional medical community.
Over 50 healthcare workers participated in the two-day training.
The training program covered the following topics:
- Effective methods for finding calm and overcoming stress.
- Building resilience in conditions of constant uncertainty and loss.
- Preventive measures and combating professional burnout.
- Providing resources and skills to cope with stressful situations.
This program is a significant step toward improving the quality of psychological support in the medical field, which is critically needed in the face of modern challenges. Both the state and society must prioritize preserving Ukrainian doctors, who are called to help others.
The Mayor of Bucha, Anatolii Fedoruk, joined the training participants, and neither the air raid sirens nor the power outages could spoil the atmosphere of the meeting.
Nataliia Toropova, head of the NGO “Healthy Initiatives,” expressed special gratitude to the partners at Northwell Health for their dedication, professionalism, and compassion. She noted that she is proud of Ukrainian healthcare providers, who continue to demonstrate an amazing spirit, resilience, and commitment to caring for others. “I believe this SFA training was only the first chapter of an inspiring, comprehensive program to strengthen the resilience and power of Ukrainian healthcare workers,” Nataliia Toropova emphasized.
