Action 3: Break Down Barriers for Help-Seeking

At a glance

In Action 3, break down barriers for seeking help, such as updating credentialing application questions and identifying confidential ways for healthcare workers to seek mental health support.

About the Action

Purpose

Review and update your hospital credentialing application questions and identify confidential ways for healthcare workers to seek support.

Action 3 in a six-step sequence. It has an icon of an open hand holding a heart.
Action 3 is to break down barriers for help-seeking

Key concept

Data show that intrusive and stigmatizing questions on hospital credentialing applications prevent many healthcare workers from seeking help.12 Auditing and updating hospital credentialing questions removes barriers to care and sends a clear message to healthcare workers that your hospital supports their mental health.

Read the full Guide‎

Download the Impact Wellbeing Guide: Taking Action to Improve Healthcare Worker Wellbeing

Action 3 resources

Download the resources below to review your hospital’s forms and learn about three approaches to update questions to remove stigmatizing language:

Checklist to audit credentialing applications

Guide to update and remove intrusive and stigmatizing questions

Customizable materials

Explore customizable graphics and promotional materials to communicate about professional wellbeing efforts with staff.

Doctor and nurse shake hands, with icon of open hand holding a heart.
Using these materials can help show your commitment to professional wellbeing.

  1. Download and open the PDF. You will see a highlighted field of editable text. Each poster has a portion of bracketed text for you to type in your custom message. For example: [INSERT HOSPITAL-SPECIFIC URL].
  2. You can also customize the poster with your hospital’s logo. We recommend using a white logo with a transparent background. The preferred file type is a .png file. To insert the logo, click on the “LOGO IPSUM” graphic — from here, a window will open prompting you to select your logo file.
  3. After inserting the logo, be sure to save your customized poster.
  1. American Medical Association [2023]. Debunking regulatory myths. Chicago, IL: American Medical Association.
  2. American Hospital Association [2022]. Suicide prevention. Washington, DC: American Hospital Association.
  • How to customize your poster: 1) Download and open the PDF. You will see a highlighted field of editable text. Each poster has a portion of bracketed text for you to type in your custom message. For example: [INSERT HOSPITAL-SPECIFIC URL]. 2) You can also customize the poster with your hospital’s logo. We recommend using a white logo with a transparent background. The preferred file type is a .png file. To insert the logo, click on the “LOGO IPSUM” graphic — from here, a window will open prompting you to select your logo file. 3) After inserting the logo, be sure to save your customized poster.