Speakers:
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Catriona Campbell, Head of Staff Learning & Development, RCSI
Summary:
In this webinar, Catriona gives an overview of burnout among pharmacists, including its consequences, and key influencing factors.
Burnout is a psychological response to ineffectively managed work-related stress, often seen in healthcare professionals like pharmacists. It can lead to reduced productivity and increased job turnover. Those experiencing burnout are more likely to leave their current employment and even leave the profession.
Catriona also discusses how burnout can negatively impact the quality of patient care. A systematic review of 19 observational studies found that over half of pharmacists experienced burnout, with a range of 5% to 75%. She goes on further to discuss factors that cause burnout and factors that prevent against it. Risk factors associated with higher burnout rates include full-time work, less professional experience, new qualifications, high prescription volumes, heavy workloads, poor work-life balance, and excessive administrative duties. Factors that have a protective effect on burnout include time away from work, participation in education and training programs, frequent social interactions, and access to burnout management resources.
Overall, it is important to recognise that organizational structure and work culture are crucial to this job, especially as a pharmacists' scope of practice expands globally.