Compassion Fatigue

We are unique. Pharmacists are their own kind, and we lack a band of unity where we can vent, share ideas and correct each other when going off-path. The result is a feeling of being somewhat isolated. Since we cannot exactly place our identities within the groups of people around us, we can feel different and often lack a suitable like-minded partner to support us as we navigate and process the day.

Withdrawal Management Services, operated by Unity Health Toronto, is free and funded by the Ministry of Health. It is one of four publicly funded residential detox facilities in Toronto that helps people get off drugs and alcohol.

I'm sitting on the couch completing the charts I've dragged home from the office. Age 14, my daughter Emma confronts me with the eyeroll and contemptuous drawl of the young teenager. “Don’t think I’m ever going to be a doctor, Mom!”

In our new peer-to-peer help column, pharmacists from across Canada will help you with your workplace, practice or career dilemmas. What’s your question?

While we may not always be on our game as pharmacy leaders, we need to understand that we are mentors whether we like it or not. Our actions, words and behaviours automatically serve as examples of what we expect from others.

Investing in our own well-being pays dividends in helping you feel calmer, more resilient, and better-equipped to handle what the world might throw your way in your daily work.

The latest blog from Canada’s chief pharmacist officer is a remember that the profession has made huge strides towards being recognized for the key role pharmacists play in our vast and diverse healthcare system. The next priority is to keep pushing down the remaining barriers to pharmacists being all they can be.