Psychological First Aid for Doctors: How to Support Colleagues in Crisis?

In the Knya Vitals 2025 report, over 83% of doctors in India reported feeling emotionally or mentally fatigued from work, while 70% said they don’t feel safe at their workplace. These numbers highlight a reality often hidden behind the white coat — medical professionals face enormous psychological stress. In such an environment, Psychological First Aid (PFA) becomes not just important, but essential. It is a practical, immediate, and compassionate way to support colleagues in crisis, ensuring they feel heard, safe, and respected.

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What is Psychological First Aid (PFA)?

Psychological First Aid is an evidence-informed approach designed to reduce the initial distress caused by traumatic events and to foster short- and long-term coping. Unlike therapy, PFA doesn’t require a specialist. Instead, it is about listening, providing comfort, ensuring safety, and connecting colleagues to further resources when needed.

For doctors, who often suppress their own emotions while caring for patients, PFA can be a lifeline when stress or burnout begins to feel overwhelming.

Why Doctors Need PFA

The medical profession is demanding — long working hours, ethical pressures, patient overload, and emotional exhaustion. According to Knya Vitals, nearly 1 in 3 doctors get less than an hour a day for themselves or their families. This constant strain can lead to burnout, compassion fatigue, and even depression.

When colleagues support one another through Psychological First Aid, they help reduce isolation, normalize emotions, and encourage healthier coping strategies. This not only benefits individual doctors but also strengthens the healthcare system as a whole.

The Core Principles of PFA for Doctors

Psychological First Aid can be applied in healthcare settings through four key principles:

1. Look

Be aware of warning signs in your colleagues. Some doctors may look fatigued, withdrawn, or irritable. Others may complain of headaches, poor sleep, or increased mistakes at work. Noticing these early signs is the first step.

2. Listen

Sometimes, just listening is the most powerful support you can offer. Allow your colleague to express their fears, frustrations, or sadness without judgment.

3. Link

Encourage them to connect with additional resources like counseling, peer-support groups, or wellness programs.

4. Protect

Help your colleague feel safe, whether that means stepping in during a hostile situation, guiding them to take rest, or ensuring they know they’re not alone.

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Practical Ways to Offer PFA to Colleagues

• Create safe spaces — Encourage short breaks, even if it means stepping away for 10 minutes.
• Normalize conversations about stress — Remind colleagues that struggling doesn’t make them weak.
• Respect confidentiality — A colleague should trust that what they share won’t spread.
• Encourage healthy habits — Doctors often forget the basics: nutrition, rest, and movement. Wearing comfortable scrubs or breathable underscrubs can make long shifts a little less exhausting.
• Model balance — Senior doctors can lead by example by prioritizing rest and boundaries.

Linking Psychological First Aid with Medical Culture

Medical culture often celebrates endurance and sacrifice, but this has its limits. Doctors in the 25–34 age group, as highlighted in the Knya Vitals report, work over 60+ hours per week and face the highest levels of emotional fatigue. Embedding PFA into the workplace culture ensures that support becomes routine rather than an exception.

For instance:

• Hospitals can include PFA training in induction programs.
• Mentors can actively check on residents and interns.
• Workspaces can ensure staff feel comfortable discussing challenges without stigma.

Building a Supportive Healthcare Environment

Psychological First Aid should be part of a larger culture of care. Here are some strategies institutions can adopt:

1. Peer Support Programs
   Doctors trained in PFA can become peer supporters, offering a listening ear during times of crisis.
2. Accessible Resources
   Hospitals should provide counseling hotlines, wellness centers, and mental health professionals.
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4. Encouraging Breaks
   Simple institutional changes, like ensuring doctors get meal breaks, go a long way in reducing distress.

The Role of Leadership in PFA

Hospital leaders, senior doctors, and department heads play a critical role. Their openness to conversations about stress sets the tone for younger colleagues. By encouraging PFA practices and modeling empathy, they help reduce stigma and show that psychological well-being is as important as physical health.

Conclusion: A Call to Action

The Knya Vitals 2025 report clearly shows that the healthcare system is depleting doctors — physically, emotionally, and mentally. Psychological First Aid is not a replacement for systemic change, but it is a crucial first step in supporting colleagues in crisis. By listening, protecting, and connecting, doctors can ensure that no colleague feels alone in their struggle.

Just as scrubs, underscrubs, and lab coats protect doctors during long shifts, Psychological First Aid protects the person behind the scrubs. If the healthcare system is to thrive, it must begin with caring for its caregivers.