Peter J Zed
Burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress, which can be characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced sense of personal accomplishment.1 Burnout can occur in any workplace and has been well described in the profession of pharmacy.2–4 In this issue of CJHP, Dempsey and others5 present the results of a national survey to determine whether interventions are currently implemented in Canadian pharmacy residency programs to manage resident burnout and to describe the perceived effectiveness of any existing interventions. A total of 107 pharmacy residents representing all provinces in Canada completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) section of the survey, of whom 62% were determined to be at high risk of burnout according to at least one MBI subscale. Most respondents (93%) felt that burnout was an issue affecting pharmacy residents, and 75% expressed interest in interventions to help alleviate burnout. Interventions offered to pharmacy residents included mentorship programs, schedule changes, and promotion of self-organization. These findings were consistent with a similar study in the United States, which demonstrated that 81% of pharmacy residents were at high risk of burnout according to at least one MBI subscale.6
This survey of pharmacy residents adds to the growing and consistent findings that burnout does affect our profession, and, as is the case for other health care providers, we can anticipate it will ultimately result in impaired clinical decision-making, increases in medical errors, and poor patient safety outcomes.7,8 The demands and challenges of the health care environment are often difficult to alter. As a consequence, systematic approaches to managing and preventing burnout are essential and must be offered to health care providers throughout their careers. Indeed, the need for suitable interventions should be viewed as an opportunity to which our profession should pay attention at every step, from initial training to retirement.
First, both awareness of and strategies to prevent and manage burnout should be introduced to students in our faculties and schools of pharmacy throughout the country. Doing so can help our students to be prepared for this common challenge long before they complete their entry-to-practice degree. Yet in a recent survey of all 10 Canadian pharmacy schools by Weichel and others,8 only one reported having a burnout-prevention curriculum. Second, further awareness as well as relevant education should be incorporated into pharmacy residency and other postgraduate training programs. These programs place high demands on pharmacists and closely mimic the challenges they will face upon completion of their training. Role models and mentors, who are common and valued in residency programs, should make purposeful attempts to support pharmacists as they learn to recognize burnout and should also offer strategies to prevent the problem. Finally, employers can pay more attention to the issue of burnout to optimize the well-being of all pharmacists and other pharmacy team members.
Blue and others2 found that two independent factors associated with burnout were dissatisfaction with work–life balance and a feeling that one’s contributions were unappreciated. As such, employers’ strategies must go beyond awareness and should incorporate interventions such as self-care workshops, as well as managing workloads and adjusting schedules where possible. Contingency arrangements for unexpected periods of demand in the workplace should also be considered. In addition, employers should ensure that all members of the pharmacy team are aware of the resources and supports available to anyone who is experiencing burnout or other challenges to their professional and workplace well-being.
Burnout is real, and addressing it takes the collective effort of everyone involved in the journey toward practising as effective pharmacists in our health care system. Ensuring the well-being of all members of our profession is essential if we are to function as effective and valued members of the health care team and offer the best of our abilities to the patients under our care.
1 Burn-out an “occupational phenomenon”: International Classification of Diseases [news release]. World Health Organization; 2019 May 28 [cited 2023 Apr 17]. Available from: http://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/burn-out/en/
2 Blue CL, Gould ON, Clarke C, Naylor H, MacKenzie M, Burgess S, et al. Burnout among hospital pharmacists in Canada: a cross-sectional analysis. Can J Hosp Pharm. 2022;75(4):326–34.
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3 Weichel C, Lee JS, Lee JY. Burnout among hospital pharmacists: prevalence, self-awareness, and preventive programs in pharmacy school curricula. Can J Hosp Pharm. 2021;74(4):309–16.
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4 Durham ME, Bush PW, Ball AM. Evidence of burnout in health-system pharmacists. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2018;75(23 Suppl 4):S93–S100.
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5 Dempsey C, Fox K, Pagel K, Zimmer S. Assessment and prevention of burnout in Canadian pharmacy residency programs. Can J Hosp Pharm. 2023;76(3):177–84.
6 Gonzalez J, Brunetti L. Assessment of burnout among postgraduate pharmacy residents: a pilot study. Curr Pharm Teach Learn. 2021;13(1): 42–8.
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7 Potter JM, Cadiz ML. Addressing burnout in pharmacy residency programs. Am J Pharm Educ. 2021;85(3):8287.
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8 Bridgeman PJ, Bridgeman MB, Barone J. Burnout syndrome among healthcare professionals. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2018;75(3):147–52.
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Competing interests: None declared.
Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, VOLUME 76, NUMBER 3, Summer 2023