By Haley Heisley

“Hi I am Haley and I will be your Nurse today.” This is way I begin every shift with each of my patients and also how I begin every article for you. I do this in hopes that I can share health promotion, prevention and awareness with you through your phone or laptop screen instead of in a hospital room. 

I have noticed that people do not focus on their mental health as much as on their physical body. Many times I see a patient or their family members upset, stressed, overwhelmed or scared. They worry about hospital bills, insurance and childcare, affording medications, seeing a family member suffer, missing days of work, laying in pain and anything else you can think of in a healthcare setting. Never hesitate to ask for help. Stress and feeling down are not good for the healing process and motivation it takes to achieve optimal health. I often see family members and friends step up and help out their mom, dad, grandmother or neighbor while in the hospital. I see spiritual care and psychology experts come into patients’ room and get to know how they are feeling and be there to support them mentally, too. 

According to the National Library of Medicine, depression is common in about one-third of medical inpatients and persisted for at least 30 days in up to half of those patients after discharge. The study found “strong evidence of an association between depressive symptoms and poor short‐term prognosis after discharge from the hospital; a 73% increased risk of readmission and a two‐fold risk of death within 30 days compared to patients without depressive symptoms with similar results at 90 days.” This goes to show that your mental health is EXTREMELY important. Just like the statistics and lab results the doctors present to you in the hospital, mental health is something that is measured in regards to better outcomes in patients. 

An article posted by Jefferson Health finds that hospital stays can be very stressful for many people, regardless of age, “whether it’s about the fear and uncertainty about one’s health condition or the confusion and isolation of the hospital setting.” For seniors, the stress of hospitalization can be even more damaging to mental health. Citing a study from the American Academy of Neurology, “cognitive decline more than doubles after a hospital stay for elderly patients, negatively affecting their cognitive and mental health.” 

Mental Health is just as important as physical health; in fact they work together hand in hand. Poor mental health can lead to prolonged healing processes and even new diagnoses if not treated. When caring for your physical health, signs of depression and anxiety are common in patients, making it so important to notice these signs in yourself, your loved ones, and in your patients. As a healthcare worker, I am constantly reminded to take care of myself in order to take care of others. The things healthcare workers witness can be traumatic, and it is important to do a mental inventory check with yourself and know that you have support. You do not have to be a patient or a healthcare worker to feel these ways because no one is immune to these illnesses. 

Different resources vary by community, hospital, school, city and state – just know you are never alone. 

• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
• American Red Cross Disaster Relief Services
• Pennsylvania 24-hour Crisis Hotlines (for every county)
  • Bucks County Crisis Line: 800-499-7455
  • Chester County Crisis: 610-280-3270
  • Delaware County: Crozer Chester Medical Center: 610-447-7600
  • Montgomery County Emergency Services: 610-279-6100
  • Philadelphia: Suicide and Crisis Intervention Line: 215-686-4420