What Kind of Changemaker are You?

Which of these most applies to you?

What do you find most helpful when first tackling a challenge?

Which of these words do you most associate with change-making?

You’re attending a panel discussion, which of the following best describes you?

My friends describe me as:

The scene: Burnout is the primary factor driving health workers to leave the field, according to a study published in the journal Health Policy. Of the more than estimated 418,000 registered nurses in the US who quit their jobs in 2017, more than 30 percent of them said they left because of burnout, citing stressful work environments and inadequate staffing.

The scenario: You’re watching the news and see a story about health worker burnout and the health workforce staffing crisis. The nurse featured in the story has been working back-to-back double shifts because their clinic is short-staffed. "If I was cloned, it would still be too much work," they said, “I can’t sleep or exercise or be present with my family when the workday ends. I love my job, but I can’t leave it at the clinic. I don’t know if I can keep doing this.”

After hearing their story, what do you do?

The scene: In 2020, PPE shortages left doctors, nurses, and other frontline health workers dangerously ill-equipped to care for patients, with limited access to supplies such as gloves, medical masks, respirators, goggles, face shields, gowns, and aprons.

The scenario: Your local health clinic is low on PPE and health workers are having to re-use masks and gowns while treating patients. Your friend, who works at the clinic, is texting the group chat about the shortage of respirators, having to re-use her KN95 mask beyond what is recommended, and wearing a trash bag as a gown to treat her patients.

After hearing their story, what do you do?