Pharmacy techs are feeling the burnout

More than 70% of pharmacy technicians surveyed believed burnout had a moderate to severe impact on well-being at their institution, while fewer than one in five (16%) reported using workplace burnout resources, despite nearly half being aware they existed. The findings, reported in Pharmacy Practice News, are from a study of 138 members of the American Association of Pharmacy Technicians presented by Stacy Pasciolla, PharmD, at the ASHP Midyear 2025 Clinical Meeting & Exhibition.To evaluate burnout in pharmacy technicians, Pasciolla and her team used the Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey, which centres on the three domains of burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment.While 48% were aware of available burnout resources at their workplace, only 16% reported using those resources. Organizations should provide education about “practical tools that technicians can utilize during a work shift, such as breathing techniques, physical resets, prioritizing safety, and micro-breaks (stepping away for two minutes to reset and focus), said Bradley J. Newell, PharmD, the associate dean of academic affairs and a clinical professor at the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy in Wichita.Considering the important role that pharmacy technicians play, “their various roles in the pharmacy may also present challenges and pressures, putting [them] at risk for experiencing decreased job satisfaction and ultimately higher turnover,” noted Pasciolla in the article.Many pharmacy technicians and other pharmacy professionals in Canada face similar challenges. In response to growing concerns about poor work environments, the College of Pharmacy of Newfoundland and Labrador (CPNL) conducted a survey in 2024 of pharmacy professionals titled “Work Environment and Business Practices in NL Pharmacies,” with questions related to breaks and hours worked, staffing, resources and infrastructure, workplace culture, and business practices, as well as professional well-being and aspects of patient care quality. The 2025 survey report, titled “The Impact of Pharmacy Professionals’ Wellness and Working Conditions on Quality and Safety of Patient Care,” revealed that 82% of respondents reported experiencing stress due to their current work environment, and 75% reported experiencing burnout or risk of burnout. Eighty-two per cent reported that their pharmacy had a shortage of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy assistants. Many pharmacy professionals reported feeling directed or pressured to complete activities in a limited timeframe. CPNL indicated that it was tackling these challenges by supporting wellness initiatives, collaborating with key partners on staffing initiatives, and collaborating with key partners to address business pressures. The CPNL survey followed two previous national surveys by the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA), in 2022 and 2023, which revealed that 79% of pharmacy professionals faced a high risk of burnout in 2023, versus 92% in the 2022 survey. “While an improvement, it shows that workplace exhaustion and disengagement continue to be widespread,” said a CPhA release on the latter survey. Factors negatively impacting mental health included workload (75%), work-life balance (63%), regulatory requirements (60%), personal health (51%), and salary/remuneration (50%). “Ensuring there are enough pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to continue to expand into primary care would help address some of the workload pressures,” said CPhA. “Other challenges should be addressed through a national drug shortage strategy, efforts to reduce administrative burden and appropriate funding for pharmacy services, which would allow community pharmacies to be bring on more staff, including registered pharmacy technicians.”CPhA discusses its action plan for addressing these challenges at Pharmacy Workforce Wellness.Click to view the CPNL report “The Impact of Pharmacy Professionals’ Wellness and Working Conditions on Quality and Safety of Patient Care.”

Pharmacy techs are feeling the burnout

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