Born months before her due date, mother and daughter now spend their days in Sunnybrook’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Weeks after her birth, Madison weighs only 3 pounds. Laurie speaks for the community of parents of preemies when she describes the whole experience as an “emotional rollercoaster” that you have to live “day by day”. Except for today, which is all about planning for the future.

Down the hall from her room, Laurie slips into a small classroom with several other preemie parents. They are all here to learn CPR, a series of potentially lifesaving skills that will be critical after leaving the cocoon of health specialists within the hospital. Preemies face specific health risks because of their size and development, including a higher risk of choking, so in a way the two-hour session is equal parts skill and reassurance. It’s good to know that there is a way to manage the worst-case scenario.

Before the session, Laurie and I had a chance to sit down and talk about her thoughts on CPR. While most people would agree it’s an important skill, Laurie has actually seen the lifesaving results firsthand. During a camping trip two years ago, a man in a nearby boat had slumped over following a heart attack. She and another bystander delivered CPR until paramedics arrived on scene. “There is the possibility you have to use it in life,” she told me. “So I’m very, very grateful that this is an opportunity.”

Learn more about Sunnybrook’s NICU

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1. Is my stress level is normal?

We all experience stress from time to time, but this stress does not necessarily impact on our day-to-day functioning. This is normal stress. When stress starts to get in the way of our lives (e.g., work, school, relationships, daily responsibilities, social life, etc) or it occurs at level that we find too distressing, that is when we begin to classify the stress as being “maladaptive”. When it comes to the way in which our stress or anxiety affects our performance on various tasks, research shows that having some anxiety can actually be beneficial.

Having some anxiety about how you will perform on a test will likely lead to you studying and taking the time you need to prepare for the test. But, having too little or too much anxiety may actually hinder performance.

2.       What can I do to reduce my stress level?

There are many things that we can do to help manage our stress levels. General self-care is very important when we are experiencing stress. Things like getting enough sleep, exercise, balanced and healthy eating, and social engagement can all help modulate our stress levels. It is also important to make sure that we get a good balance of engaging in activities that make us feel productive (e.g. doing work, paying our bills, chores, etc) and activities that we find pleasurable and fun (e.g. hobbies we like, being with family/friends, playing sports, etc). If you’ve tried these strategies and it feels as though your stress level may still be difficult to manage, it can be helpful to speak to a professional who may be able to provide you with additional strategies to help manage your stress.  We have proven effective psychological and medical treatments for those experiencing more clinically significant stress.

3.       My mom says I should do yoga or take some deep breaths – will that help me feel less stress?

Yoga and deep breathing can be quite helpful for stress. Deep breathing is one type of relaxation strategy that involves taking deep breathes through your diaphragm. Research shows this type of breathing can reduce feelings of anxiety. There are other relaxation strategies that can be helpful as well, such as progressive muscle relaxation. This exercise requires you to tense and relax various muscle groups throughout your body and train yourself to notice the difference between the tensed and relaxed states.

4.       Does exercise help?

Yes, there is research to suggest regular exercise of at least a moderate intensity is associated with improvements in anxiety and depression. To achieve health benefits, Canada’s physical activity guidelines recommend that adults aged 18-64 engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic physical activity (i.e. exercise that makes you sweat) per week.

5.       Are there any foods or drinks that might make me feel better or worse?

Eating a balanced and healthy diet can be helpful for managing stress. It is also important to limit use of alcohol and caffeine. Beverages that include alcohol and caffeine can affect our sleep and impact our body’s stress response.

The post When the going gets tough – Tips for dealing with stress appeared first on Your Health Matters.

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Go prepared to meetings with your mentor.

When starting out in a career, it’s a good idea to seek out someone – whether formally or informally – to act as a mentor or coach.

And to get the most out of this kind of relationship, Sunnybrook’s Vice-President of Human Resources Marilyn Reddick has some tips for you:

1) It’s not all in a name: A mentorship relationship is a personal one. Don’t pick just by title. Approach someone who you know is a good leader and can offer you guidance and practical advice.

2) Make the time and keep the time: If you say you will meet the first Thursday of each month, do so. Even if it means you will both have to stay an hour late that night.

3) Set some goals and ground rules: Outline what it is you want gain from your meetings. Set a goal and a vision for your relationship. Go to meetings with questions already prepared.

4) Go forth and conquer: In both clinical and other mentorship relationships, at the end of each meeting, it is helpful if you leave with a task or goal. Do something. “For example, I was working with a woman who really had a difficulty receiving and giving praise. It simply wasn’t a part of her upbringing and she felt very uncomfortable with it. So, when we worked together, I said, ‘This week, I want you to think of one way of praising a team member. And I want you to do it.’ We thought of some examples and she followed through.”

“To get the most out of this kind of relationship, you have to be an active participant and reflect on what you are learning.”

The post 4 Tips to be a Good ‘Mentee’ appeared first on Your Health Matters.

In Episode 4 of the Day in the Life web series, Dr. Tiffany Florindo explains how as a first-year medical resident, she learns in the classroom as well as on the job.

Recently, the University of Toronto got in touch with Tiffany to chat about the web series. You can read that article here.

If you’ve got any questions for Tiffany or topics you’d like to see covered in these videos, please ask away in the comments below.

The post A day in the life of a medical resident web series: Learning on the job appeared first on Your Health Matters.

As millions embrace the release of The Hunger Games on the big screen, health professional students all across the GTA are gearing up for a battle of their own – entering into the job market.

In preparation for our final test of aptitude and intellect, students spend upwards of six-to-eight years training in demanding post-secondary and clinical institutions.

We write, we present, and we collaborate until we’re sure that we cannot possibly do it again.

And then we do.

This same process is then repeated in the hospital setting where we must prove to our peers and superiors that we are capable and competent. Not a small task when we are also trying to convince ourselves.

During our training, we all develop unique strengths and clinical skills. As the end nears, however, we also begin to realize the incredible number of other students just like us – each with their own set of skills. It is after this realization (and as graduation looms), that conversations about extra learning or networking opportunities become more guarded, and job search strategies become strictly confidential.

At a time of economic uncertainty and instability in healthcare funding, health professional students feel especially vulnerable. As an article in the Globe and Mail last week highlighted, “competition for jobs when the unemployment rate is high has given employers the luxury of being more selective in new hiring’s.” Just reading those words has the ability to increase student anxiety.

Despite this, I myself will enter the job search arena next week. I am keeping my fingers crossed that when I am selected, it is for a job opportunity and not for The Hunger Games. Although at this moment they both seem to be a fight for survival. I know the competition is tough, but I am confident I will be successful in my hunt. My only concern is how hungry I will get before I succeed.

Looking back on my training, I am thankful for my many mentors and teachers both at Sunnybrook and the University of Toronto. They have provided me with the tools I need to begin my career as a Social Worker, and are cheering me on as I take this next step. They have also reminded me that, “we are all learners”, and that although my formal instruction is ending, I have a lifetime of learning ahead of me.

Stacey Creak

Social Work Intern

Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre

The post My Learning Experience @ Sunnybrook appeared first on Your Health Matters.