Wellness Warriors: a qualitative exploration of healthcare staff learning to support their colleagues in the aftermath of the Australian bushfires

ABSTRACT

Purpose

Healthcare staff are on the frontline during disasters despite any personal adversity and vicarious trauma they may be experiencing. Wellness Warrior training is a post-disaster intervention developed in response to the 2019-2020 Australian bushfires to support staff in a rural hospital located on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia.

Method

This study explored the experiences and perspectives of 18 healthcare staff who were trained to provide emotional and peer support to their colleagues in the aftermath of a crisis. All the Wellness Warriors participated in semi-structured interviews between March and April 2020. Data were analysed using the reflexive thematic approach.

Results

Healthcare staff reported developing interpersonal skills around deep listening and connecting with others which allowed for hearing the core of their colleagues’ concerns. The training also helped staff to feel differently about work and restored their faith in healthcare leadership.

Conclusion

Wellness Warrior training provided staff with knowledge and skills to support their colleagues in the aftermath of a natural disaster and later during the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, these findings suggest that peer support programs such as Wellness Warriors could be one way healthcare organisations can attempt to alleviate the psychological impact of natural disasters.

KEYWORDS:

• Bushfires
• post disaster
• healthcare providers
• occupational trauma
• burnout
• workplace wellness
• mental health and wellbeing

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Stuart Emslie, the Director of Nursing and Operations Manager of Milton Ulladulla Hospital and all Wellness Warriors for their generosity to participate in the study. Authors extend their acknowledgement to Margot Mains, who demonstrated compassionate leadership, which was instrumental in the implementation of the Wellness Warrior training and overarching SEED Program.

Disclosure statement

AK, KO, LS and JA report that there are no competing interests to declare. PP was employed by the health service where the research took place, but not at the research site.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2023.2167298.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Andrea Knezevic

Andrea Knezevic is a PhD Candidate at the University of Wollongong who holds a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours). She is a young researcher with a passion for staff wellbeing in healthcare. Her current research is exploring the connection between the wellbeing of frontline staff (SEED) and the implementation of Patient Reported Measures (PRMs) in the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD).

Katarzyna Olcoń

Katarzyna Olcoń is a Social Work Senior Lecturer in the School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Australia. Her research centres on community mental health, workplace wellness and cultural humility is health and social service provision.

Louisa Smith

Louisa Smith’s research explores the intersection between disability, dementia and complex support needs. Louisa has a particular interest in research that actively develops supports for those who are most socially isolated, including people with disabilities and/or dementia who experience gender and sexuality diversity, live in large residential accommodation or are from refugee backgrounds. Louisa’s research works across the disciplines of sociology, disability and dementia studies and policy studies, with a particular focus on inclusive and participatory methodologies. Louisa’s current program of research focusses on Participatory Action Research approaches to co-develop and co-design resources to support people with disabilities and dementia and complex support needs. An example of such work with people with dementia is documented in this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI721G6ORN8&feature=emb_title

Julaine Allan

Julaine Allan is a social work researcher specialising in mental health, substance use and service user healthcare experience. Dr Allan specialises in qualitative and mixed methods research in healthcare settings and with vulnerable groups.

Padmini Pai

Padmini Pai has 27 years’ experience as a social worker, service manager and program lead for many health district-wide initiatives. Her publications have been in strength-based ways of working in healthcare settings and beyond.