Slideshow: Pharmacists Report Burnout is a Major Driver of Understaffing in Pharmacy Times Survey

Burnout has become a defining challenge in health care—and specifically pharmacy—in recent years. Driven in part by the COVID-19 pandemic, levels of mental health issues have skyrocketed among pharmacists in recent years, as they deal with growing demands and fewer resources.¹

Researchers have established that not only does burnout negatively affect employees and the workplace, but the resulting fatigue and distraction can have significant impacts for patient safety, such as medication errors. At an organizational level, high turnover rates can create significant costs for health systems, in addition to loss of efficiency.²

When possible, preventing burnout is crucial. According to the American Pharmacists Association, setting realistic expectations, having open conversations about challenges, engaging in physical and psychological self-care, and trying to reframe challenges can all help prevent severe burnout.² Of course, however, prevention may not always successfully avoid burnout. Action steps can include finding ways to increase autonomy, delegating when possible, setting limits such as not taking on extra tasks, and avoiding dwelling on work when not there.²

To better understand how pharmacists are grappling with burnout, Pharmacy Times conducted the 2024 Burnout and Mental Health Survey, in which we asked pharmacists to answer questions about their workplace, levels of burnout, and the causes driving it.

References

1. Burnout is hitting pharmacists, too. Wolters Kluwer. February 7, 2024. Accessed July 15, 2024. https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/expert-insights/burnout-is-hitting-pharmacists-too

2. English T. The pharmacist's guide to recognizing and preventing burnout. Transitions. July 30, 2021. Accessed July 15, 2024. https://www.pharmacist.com/Publications/Transitions/the-pharmacists-guide-to-recognizing-and-preventing-burnout