The Peer Support and Trauma Response Program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has marked a new milestone with the awarding of a Leading Practice from the Health Standards Organization (HSO).   

HSO, along with its affiliate Accreditation Canada, have been identifying and publishing Leading Practices in the Leading Practices Library for more than 15 years. According to HSO, a Leading Practice is an innovative, people-centred, evidence-informed practice that has been implemented by teams in an organization. The Leading Practice has demonstrated a positive change related to care or service that is safe and reliable, accessible and appropriate, and/or integrated. All submissions are subject to a rigorous internal and external evaluation process.

As the first hospital-wide program in Canada, SickKids’ Peer Support Program promotes greater psychological health and safety among staff who are experiencing stress and anxiety. Available to all staff and volunteers 24/7, trained peers play a critical role in providing responsive psychological and emotional support through their shared experiences and are instrumental in directing affected colleagues to needed resources. SickKids has been awarded a total of 37 Leading Practices through Accreditation cycles since 2007, with Peer Support being the most recent addition.

Since the program’s inception a little more than four years ago, it has grown and evolved in many ways. Kelly McNaughton, Program Manager, Peer Support and Trauma Response, discusses the Leading Practice award and what it means to SickKids staff and the entire organization in this Q&A.

How does Peer Support qualify as a Leading Practice?

SickKids is the first hospital in Canada to have developed a hospital-wide program providing individual support and also trauma response to colleagues. The designation was based on the following HSO criteria:  people-centred, evaluation methodology, demonstrated intended results, spread and sustainability, adaptability to other organizations, and innovative/transformative. We are deeply proud that the committee acknowledged our Peer Support Program meets all these criteria.

Why is the Leading Practice award a proud moment for SickKids?

Though we still have work to do, SickKids has blazed a trail in promoting staff mental health. The program is now entering its fifth year and I’ve had the privilege to speak to hospitals across Canada, the U.S. and internationally who have approached us to learn about our program as they contemplate starting their own. We are leading by example, but as the saying goes “it takes a village.” It was the recognition and commitment of leadership in 2015 that propelled the movement to advance staff mental health and led to partnerships and conversations with various stakeholders across the hospital to support a Peer Support Program. The current generation of services and supports the program provides staff is a testament to the continued support of people leaders, the confidence and engagement of our staff, and the immeasurable dedication of our trained peer volunteers and program team. I feel proud to be a part of an organization that places this high degree of emphasis on mental health and wellness.

Where does the program go from here?

The program has gained considerable momentum and reach, expanding into areas of training, consultation, education and formal research and publication. We have been engaged by other hospitals for consultation and to train staff for preparation as peers and for certification in Critical Incident Management trauma response. While we began to provide short-term counselling – through myself and our program coordinator, psychotherapists by trade, and graduate interns – we have seen a considerable uptake in requests for this level of support for staff who may need immediate support. That includes those who do not have access to benefits or may not be ready, or are uncertain about contacting our Employment Assistance Program provider. However, staff mental health and wellness continues to be the priority and, as we continue to assess SickKids’ individual, team and organizational needs, opportunities for further program development have emerged.

Can you offer some examples?

Some examples include a partnership with Quality & Safety in an established protocol of supporting staff involved in the serious safety event process; engagement in Safety Planning Meetings; and early exploration of an app to link staff to the program and resources. I have also had the privilege during the past 18 months as part of a small working group to contribute to the development of the corporate Staff Mental Health and Wellness Strategy.

How do staff get involved and support the program?

We recently held a nomination drive in the hopes of adding to our current team of 80-plus peer volunteers. We are currently conducting 46 interviews and personality tests across clinical, non-clinical and research areas. This is a rigorous process of recruitment, with a panel interview and personality inventory conducted, followed by three days of training in peer skill development and certification in trauma response for those selected.

Any final thoughts?

Peer Support is an incredible amount of work but has been well worth it for SickKids, especially in navigating the pandemic. We can’t take care of our patients and families without taking care of the people – our staff – who take care of them.