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Podcast: The Incubator
Episode: #375 - š CHNC 2025 COVERAGE - You can't walk through water without getting wet
Description: Send us Fan MailThis episode addresses NICU staff mental health with Dr. Chavis Patterson, PhD (Childrenās Hospital of Philadelphia). He reviews common problemsātoxic stress, compassion fatigue, irritability, sleep disturbanceāand practical mitigation strategies: brief micro-practices (five-minute arrival/departure routines), peer debriefs (e.g., āpink flagsā), unit multidisciplinary check-ins, and institutional resources such as employee assistance programs and embedded NICU psychologists. Patterson stresses normalizing emotional responses, reducing stigma around seeking psychotherapy, and building structural supports by advocating for funded on-unit psychology positions. Immediate actions: start regular team debriefs, map local mental-health resources, pilot embedded psychology coverage...