Caring During Crisis

Attendings remain leaders and role models for their team, even in times of crisis or distress. The COVID-19 pandemic placed a unique strain on both healthcare workers and patients as the unknown unraveled. Observations of and actions taken by the authors’ own healthcare system revealed tactics used by attendings to navigate and teach during crisis, including attendings taking on roles outside of their normal responsibilities (to further assist their team), connecting on a personal level with their learners, and identifying as an equal member of the team rather than enforcing strict hierarchy. These principles, though observed during COVID-19 and discussed within that context, are applicable to many types of crises.