Getting ahead of burnout

As mentioned in the last installment of the Rx for Renewal blog, we pharmacists need to take better care of ourselves. This is so we can be more available to our families, staff, and clients. So how do we do this? Combatting burnout is a two-pronged process. First, we must tackle the systemic factors that exacerbate the rate and degree of burnout pharmacists face. These include workload and time pressure issues, staffing and workforce shortages, changes to our scope without the accompanying additional resources, increased administrative burdens and a lack of recognition and support. Some of these pressures are self-inflicted because as a profession, pharmacists have been challenged to act as a cohesive group to push back on the institutions and corporations that make these rules. The result is a system that cares little about the well-being of the pharmacist who is providing the services and building relationships in their respective communities. One of the reasons why this has continued for as long as it has is because this system produces results. Yet these results are not sustainable because the long-term impact on the pharmacist’s life is something that is not being measured and is surely being compromised. The point of discussing these systemic challenges is that it highlights the urgent need for pharmacy organizations, regulatory bodies, employers and policymakers to take responsibility and do their part in creating supportive work environments to mitigate burnout and improve pharmacist well-being. The second way to combat burnout is to improve pharmacists’ self-care practices. As much as we can play the blame game and convince ourselves that all pharmacy issues are the cause of systemic issues, we ourselves have a role to play in how we perceive and deal with challenges. As my mentor once told me, “Control the controllable and let the cards fall where they may.” We really have two things under our control: the effort we put into a given task and the perspective we bring to different situations. More so than just taking an optimistic or pessimistic view of things, we can view everything that happens in our lives as an opportunity to grow. In Carolyn Dwek’s book, Growth Mindset, she discusses the difference between a fixed and a growth mindset. By having a growth mindset, we can ask ourselves the simple question: What do I need to learn from this situation? Reflecting on life is a superpower many of us can use. This is because it is something entirely under our control. Read: Help wanted: New Brunswick pharmacy staff needed for Workplace Wellness Committee The true power of self-care practices comes from making them a part of your daily life. We all know there are benefits to putting a patient on a bisphosphonate, rather than dealing with a hip fracture. Similarly, incorporating self-care tools into our daily routines prevents burnout. This way, we can delay and even prevent it from occurring. Think about those daily recorded refrigeration checks. Spending a few minutes daily can prevent a whole refrigerator full of indispensable stock - saving you time and money. There are many modalities and ways to practice self-care. Nicholas Bate, a behavioural consultant, stresses the importance of spending time daily giving consideration to M-E-D-S or meditation-exercise-diet-sleep. This is a fitting acronym for pharmacists. The next series of monthly posts will focus on how we can use self-care techniques to get better at each facet of MEDS. The true power of self-care practices comes from making them a part of your daily life. We all know there are benefits to putting a patient on a bisphosphonate, rather than dealing with a hip fracture. Similarly, incorporating self-care tools into our daily routines prevents burnout. This way, we can delay and even prevent it from occurring. Think about those daily recorded refrigeration checks. Spending a few minutes daily can prevent a whole refrigerator full of indispensable stock - saving you time and money. There are many modalities and ways to practice self-care. Nicholas Bate, a behavioural consultant, stresses the importance of spending time daily giving consideration to M-E-D-S or meditation-exercise-diet-sleep. This is a fitting acronym for pharmacists. The next series of monthly posts will focus on how we can use self-care techniques to get better at each facet of MEDS. M is meditation. Take a bit of time out. Just to think. E is exercise. Walk every day. Walk more. Take the stairs. D is diet. Reduce the rubbish; increase the nutritious. S is sleep. Get rid of sleep debt. As pharmacists, we know each of these components because we counsel patients in these areas daily. In the next series of articles, I will share my take on how we can move the needle on each of these. This will help improve our wellness. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter here.

Getting ahead of burnout

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Blog Author

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