Giving Ourselves Permission: A Vital Step Toward Sustainable Pediatric Practice
As pediatric healthcare professionals, we’re deeply committed to the well-being of the children and families we serve. Our work is both rewarding and transformative—but let’s be honest: it can also be emotionally taxing, all-consuming, and, at times, overwhelming.
The demands we face are multifaceted: the ongoing need for systemic change in healthcare, the pressure to meet every patient’s needs with limited time and resources, and the ethical dilemmas that can arise. These stressors can take a toll on our personal and professional well-being, making it feel nearly impossible to advocate for ourselves in the workplace and sessions, as we often answer “yes” to everything that is asked of us – even if it may be personally detrimental.
We dedicate ourselves to the principles of the Hippocratic Oath in our care for others—but what would it look like to extend the commitment to “do no harm” to ourselves?
What Does “Giving Ourselves Permission” Really Mean in The Context of Self-Advocacy in Pediatric Healthcare?
- Setting clear boundaries with families, colleagues, and direct reports (Ethical Decision Making: Setting & Maintaining Boundaries)
- Saying “no” when it’s appropriate and necessary
- Adjusting dosage or transitioning clients to home programming with community resources (discharging from therapy) when services are no longer medically necessary (Pediatric Therapy Foundations / Medical Necessity)
- Asking for help when you need support
- Speaking up when you’re experiencing burnout or feeling overwhelmed (Read more about preventing and mitigating burnout)
- Expressing your needs when you’re not feeling challenged or engaged
Mentorship Matters
Strong mentorship is a cornerstone of a thriving pediatric practice.
A 2020 study by Jonsdottir & Kristinsson found that “that workplaces and management need to pay more attention to supportive leadership which considers conscious and active listening-centered communication as highly significant for employees’ perception of good working conditions and, subsequently, their work engagement.”
At Knowledge Is Now, we believe that mentorship is not just a professional responsibility—it’s a path to collective growth.
Explore the course, Intentional Guidance: Supervising Students & Mentoring Colleagues, to learn how you can foster meaningful, supportive connections in your workplace and learn how to give yourself permission to thrive as a pediatric healthcare professional.
Be on the lookout as we continue to grow our mentorship and leadership course library with leadership experts in the pediatric therapy field.
Research citation: Jonsdottir IJ, Kristinsson K. Supervisors’ Active-Empathetic Listening as an Important Antecedent of Work Engagement. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Oct 30;17(21):7976. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17217976. PMID: 33142984; PMCID: PMC7662981.
