It’s time to acknowledge the epidemic of pharmacist burnout

I realized I was suffering from burnout after I snapped at my patient. This occurred after I already worked an 8-hour shift in a fast pace specialty pharmacy, processing orders that were needed for severe infections, cancer patients, or patients in palliative care. After a day of exhaustion, I was called to help out a local retail pharmacy.That evening, it felt like every patient with a prescription came in with a problem bigger than I could solve myself. Either there were no more repeats on the prescription or the prescription needed a clarification for which the physician was not readily available. There was a shortage on the seizure medication and I didn’t know how to explain to the mom who had come in that we had nothing in stock. There were patients not willing to wait five minutes for their prescriptions, patients who had come in disappointed because their prescriptions were not prepared the way they had requested. They all seemed to show up at the same exact moment—with one relief pharmacist and one technician holding the fort down.I don’t quite remember what I said. But I blurted out something unpleasant. I was unable to rationalize things, process any additional information. I was ready to quit.I believe pharmacist burnout is occurring more frequently than pharmacists are willing to acknowledge. When a pharmacist is not performing at their expected level of competency, we immediately think of pouring in additional resources for training. But I think, in some cases, these pharmacists just need a break, some space to reflect on why they have chosen this career path. They desperately need some support from their supervisors. As burnout progresses, pharmacists become indifferent and insensitive, that is when more damage is done. The pharmacist spreads negative attitudes to the team, patients don’t feel their needs are met and everyone begins walking on eggshells.Healthcare professionals need to have the capacity to show compassion and care for their patients. Their contributions to patient care depend on these core principles. But these traits are the first to be affected by burnout.I am no expert at managing burnout but below are few things I have found helpful:Acknowledge it. The moment I acknowledged I was burning out, I felt immediate relief. This is because once I acknowledged the problem, I was committed to finding a solution to address it.Identify things within my control. Often we do not have control of our work schedule or which team members we will be working with. But we may be able to decide how to pass the day more pleasantly (e.g. bring your favourite treats), resources that may be helpful (e.g. methods to deal with difficult customers) as well as strategies to remain calm when a work situation becomes tense (e.g. focus on the situation and not the individual). When one is prepared, getting through the day becomes easier.Schedule down time to recharge. This may be easier said than done. But we all need to have some time to ourselves. Make sure you try your best to give yourself some time. This can be five minutes in the car before the work day or a day at the spa. But schedule this time so it will happen.Do something different. We live in an era where we do not need to commit to one career or job for the rest of our lives. We should be able to explore options. Pharmacists should recognize there are other options. Learn a new skill, or pick up a new book. Sometimes when we keep doing the same job everyday, we lose perspectives on how life can be different. Venturing out to do something different can help to bring out a new perspective and perhaps a solution to deal with burnout.Alex Barker, the founder of the Happy PharmD has written a number of articles on this topic. I encourage you to check them out:5 External Reasons Pharmacists Feel Burned Out, and What They Can Do About ItBurned Out Pharmacists: Understanding the Job’s Negative Health EffectsThe Science Behind Pharmacist Burnout Is Scary: Here Is What to Do About ItCynthia Leung is a primary care pharmacist in Kingston Ontario. This post originally appeared on Cynthia's blog last year.

It’s time to acknowledge the epidemic of pharmacist burnout

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Cynthia Leung