Our Experts

During the pandemic, Bridget Ryan, BSN, RN, CCRN, assistant nurse manager of the medical ICU at ChristianaCare’s Christiana Hospital in Delaware, relied on her training from the health system’s Care for the Caregiver program, which helps identify signs that a nurse is struggling emotionally.

“Anxiety and fear can cause different reactions, and some people act out in anger, while others clam up or cry,” she said. Nurses may be referred to Ryan for support, or she sometimes pulls a nurse aside in the moment if she sees these behaviors.

Christina Burke (right), an I.C.U. nurse at Christiana Hospital, and her peer counselor Bridget Ryan both cried during a counseling session.