Coaching Tips for EM Education Part 2: Healing with the Boss...

We only practice medicine. We are each other's coaches and trainees. The attending and his resident. The nurse and nursing student. The fourth year and the third year. The Paramedic and the EMT-B. The patient as both coach and trainee for all. An attitude of Enthusiasm is the first cornerstone of Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success. We know a positive attitude must originate from our core values as clinicians.

Last week we asked our trainees to examine their attitude in relation to the day's successes and failures. I again realized that my own "All In" attitude improves with success, and helps create success. Unfortunately, we all know the opposite is true as well. In my failures this week, my attitude plummeted, and even sabotaged my own success. Typically, enthusiasm drops as the week marches on patient after patient, shift after shift, and meeting after meeting.

Although attitude must originate with our core values, sustaining this attitude relies on being mindful of our own health. To help others heal, we must first heal ourselves. My greatest coaches in medical school taught me to "always keep doing whatever makes you whole again", the personal activities that helped me heal after a long week. This needs to be separate from your family time, or other rewarding roles. This is just for you. If medicine takes this away, then in time, any clinician will burn out. And face a long road to find joy in helping others again.

For my best internal medicine coach, it was long swims every Saturday and Sunday, and hopefully once mid-week. For my best surgical coach, it was his car, with the Boss blaring, during his long commute.

During the week, ask your trainees to be mindful of their current health, as well as how, and when to rejuvenate. Both the Swimmer and the Boss taught me that a great coach is practical and challenging, yet caring, and always authentic. So keep it real. When walking to see a patient together, just ask your trainee, "how's life?". Connect. Let the conversation start and stop as needed during the shift. Then ask the trainee what they do to recover after a long week. Share your own healing activities so that the trainee recognizes the fundamental importance of their own health. Next week, we'll continue the discussion by addressing "on the job" ways to help your trainees recharge. Perfect spot for this Woodenism, "Make it a Great Week!".