App-based micro-course for COVID-19 frontline workers

Frontline healthcare workers can take a new app-based micro-course on resilience and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Developed by Dignity Health Global Education (DHGE) and the University of Exeter, Strength to Endure is a one-hour course that gives insights on navigating the unprecedented situation healthcare workers now face on a daily basis.

The course costs $10 (US) and, as a way to give back to frontline workers and their communities, profits will be donated to charities in the UK and the US.

For more information and to register, visit www.exeter.ac.uk/strength-to-endure

The science and research behind the course are based on the same strategies used by elite athletes to endure high-pressure moments. 

The course teaches healthcare workers how to optimise their mental and physical energy by maintaining wellbeing through nutrition and rest, preparing for adversity, and applying mental skills in the moment.

Strength to Endure is broken up into short segments to enable busy healthcare workers to review information a few minutes at a time.

“DHGE’s mission is simple,” said Andrew Malley, CEO for DHGE.

“By utilising world-class online education, we want to enhance careers, improve workforces and efficiencies, and ultimately help those working in the health space provide the highest possible quality of care.

“We believe this programme will give frontline workers tools to do the incredible work they are doing by strengthening their mindset using some of the same tools used by elite athletes and those in other high-pressure disciplines.”

The micro-course curriculum was co-created by Professor Mark Wilson, a performance psychologist with a background in studying the effect of pressure on performance, and Dr  Luciana Torquati, a lecturer in nutrition with a background in studying the relationship between diet, physical activity and health outcomes in shift workers.

“Our goal with this programme is to help frontline healthcare workers control the controllables and set a mental and physical foundation that will help them function at their best level,” said Professor Wilson.

“Our motivation to create this class comes from our admiration and gratitude for all those dedicated doctors, nurses and other clinicians during this exceptional crisis.

“It is easy for them to forget to consider their own wellbeing when they are so focused on the health of others.” 

The course curriculum is divided into three core areas:

• “Psyching up your mindset” highlights the development of mental resiliency and toughness.
• “Fueling up for shift work” examines the most practical ways to eat well.
• “Keeping up with shift work” offers practical tips for sleeping and when to eat or avoid eating.

While covering a wide range of useful topics, the course is streamlined by design so that it works seamlessly into the busy lives of frontline caregivers.

It is delivered online via the EdApp (available on both iOS and Android platforms).

The continuing education credit is provided by AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare.

Peer-reviewed research, government reports and insights from relevant professional institutions were used to develop the course.

DHGE reminds students that these are general guidelines and do not substitute for specialist or medical advice.

Additional information is available in here and the registration page is here.