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Our pandemic does not end until it ends for everyone. This has been a tough week on a global scale. A new variant identified, countries returning to lock downs and travel restrictions on the global south highlighting the inequitable distribution of vaccines globally and the impacts – present and future – on all of us locally.

Over the last 20 months, members across our community have been impacted physically, psychologically, emotionally – and financially by the pandemic.

Our community has rallied to fund raise for the critical Employee Emergency Fund (EFF). To date, the EEF has awarded more than $1.5 million to 1,013 eligible employees whose households lost income or experienced increased expenses attributed to the pandemic. Take a moment and read about the tremendous difference the EEF has made for UW employees who have needed support here.

As the pandemic continues to take a financial toll, we want to share some important updates about this helpful program.

  • EEF is still accepting applications. Financial hardship must be due to COVID-19.
  • Reapply if you have a new financial hardship. You can reapply in 3 months even if you got the maximum EEF amount in the past.
  • Donations welcome. If able, donate to the fund to support your colleagues.
    In addition to providing financial support, we continue to find ways forward supporting one another.

We want to thank Marie Cockerham, UWMC support specialist, and Cheri Constantino-Shor, director of Professional Engagement and Nursing Excellence at UWMC Northwest for their work in leading “Got Burnout?” sessions which have given folks a space to share, connect over common stressors, and console one another.  Marie and Cheri welcome members across our community to join for the next two sessions on Zoom (see details below).

As we grapple with the challenges of navigating global and local inequities, we encourage you to check out the resources available in our broader UW community.

“Got Burnout?” Series for Clinicians

Date: Dec. 8
Time: Noon to 1 p.m.
Zoom Link

Date: Dec. 20
Time: 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Zoom Link


Meeting ID: 9990929
Passcode: 371555

The Inner Workings of Injustice

Guest speaker Rhonda Magee talks about using mindfulness to heal ourselves and transform our communities.

Date: Dec. 7
Time: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Read more


Exploring Gratitude: Positive Emotions & Expansive Thinking

Join us as we talk about how to practice gratitude to mitigate the risks of burnout and much more.

Date: January 12
Time: Noon to  1 p.m.
Register


You can also catch up on past and upcoming well-being and resilience sessions here.

In the last few weeks, many of us have had highs and lows. There have been gatherings with family and friends for holiday celebrations that were unfathomable a year ago and second vaccinations for many of our 5 to 11-year-olds. We have also had very busy hospitals, shorter rainier days and now with Omicron’s uncertainty, we are reminded that we are not out of the woods yet. Our pandemic experience continues to hinge not just on how we can take care of ourselves, but on how we can care for our community locally and globally. We thank everyone in our community who continues to show up and impact our environment for the better from the lab to the bedside. We are still in this, but we are so glad that we are in this together.

With deep gratitude,

Anne Browning, PhD
Assistant Dean for Well-Being, UW School of Medicine
Founding Director, UW Resilience Lab
Affiliate Assistant Professor, UW College of Education

Patricia Kritek, MD, EdM
Associate Dean – Faculty Affairs
Professor – Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
University of Washington School of Medicine