Support Nurses And Midwives
Gratitude
UK /ɡræt.ɪ.tʃuːd/ US /ˈɡræt̬.ə.tuːd/
Noun
The feeling or quality of being grateful:
- Deep/eternal gratitude
- She sent them a present to show/express her gratitude
- Take this as a token of my gratitude for all your help.
During these difficult times it’s important to be thankful. Not just to those around you, but to the hundreds and thousands of nurses, midwives and health workers who are the backbone of health systems worldwide, and at the forefront of Covid-19 response.
For this reason, World Health Day 2020 is dedicated to showing support for nurses and midwives worldwide.
Showing Gratitude
There are a number of ways you can express your gratitude.
In the UK, for a second week in a row, people up and down the country have stepped out onto their door fronts, balconies and windows to clap, to cheer and to bang pans in solidarity for the National Health Service.
Monuments such as The Shard have turned blue in appreciation of all the work and the risk that front line workers face each day.
But it doesn’t stop there. If you’re looking to go one step further, the World Health Organisation recommends the following:
- Take a moment to thank nurses, midwives and all health workers and show them your appreciation
- Share photos and videos of and from nurses and midwives, or other health workers, and patients explaining why their work is vital. Use #SupportNursesAndMidwives and #COVID19 on social media
- If you have concerns, write to your local politicians and leaders
- Organise or sign a petition to help make a difference.
The Benefits Of Gratitude For Your Brain
Gratitude is a wonderful thing, and expressing it has some great side effects for you and your brain.
Researcher Chih-Che Lin found that showing gratitude has a substantial effect on self-esteem, depression and psychological wellbeing.
Another 2008 study by Wood et al. highlights how practising gratitude can increase your social support, and the same study reported that an increase in gratitude can contribute to lower levels of stress. This suggests that gratuitous behaviour enables us to form the social support we need in times of difficulty, and overall reduces the stress levels and the need for social support
It’s safe to say that now more than ever, social support and showing thankfulness is needed in abundance.
By practising gratitude, we can not only ensure that frontline workers receive the support and appreciation they deserve but, we can also help to build a community of care.
So whatever way you decide to show gratitude, know that it helps. If you’re still unsure on how to get involved with the year long campaign the World Health Organisation is running in tandem with the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), International Council of Nurses (ICN), Nursing Now and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), you can click here to find out more.
On behalf of Peak, we thank the nurses, the midwives, the doctors and all the health workers, for all you do. For keeping us safe and healthy.
We appreciate all the work you do.
Thank you.
Sources Cites
https://www.sbp-journal.com/index.php/sbp/article/view/3863
https://www.who.int/news-room/campaigns/year-of-the-nurse-and-the-midwife-2020
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2008-07152-006
dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/gratitude