Perfectionism, work-life imbalances, disregarding personal needs, and ongoing exposure to high-stress workplaces are a few elements that lead to burnout. The doctor-patient connection can be seriously harmed by burnout, which can affect the standard of treatment and patient outcomes.
We devoted a large portion of our lives to our jobs. Our place of employment is where we can socialize, grow up, and make money. Of course, having a rewarding career can have a significant positive impact on your mental health. Most of us place much importance on maintaining good physical health, which is crucial. But have you ever considered the amount of stress that we endure?
Now and again, work, personal lives, or work-life balance bottlenecks present themselves. Deadlines at work, challenging clientele, and emotional exhaustion can all be quite stressful. The weight may become unbearable if we add issues with our family, friends, health, or any other aspect of our lives to this. Additionally, feel free to multiply your burnout-related workplace concerns by two if you are a doctor, psychologist, or other health-related professional.
14,000 physicians were surveyed on their top 2017 challenges as part of the Medscape Physician Lifestyle Survey, released in January (https://www.medscape.com/sites/public/lifestyle/2017). Physician burnout remained an essential topic of discussion.
The statistics indicate that emergency physicians still experienced the highest rates of burnout in 2017, with 59% of respondents saying they felt burned out. Obstetricians and gynecologists came in second with 56%. Family and internal medicine have a burnout rating of 55%.
There is, however, always a way out. A clinic's administration is built on a foundation of mental health awareness, which boosts output and social engagement.
Why is it necessary for your clinic to promote healthy workplace mental health?
Burn out affects the way we feel, communicate, engages, and think. We define it as our capacity to manage our sentiments and emotions and how we handle the excitement and downside that life inevitably throws at us. When we are affluent and healthy, we have the energy to carry out our daily tasks, make wise career decisions, and establish beneficial relationships.
Your mental state fluctuates, particularly while you're at work. Depending on the working environment and other factors, it can undergo millions of alterations. The following variables affect our work:
- Workplace loneliness
- Organizational work processes and their complexitiesWork-related stress and harsh deadlines
- Workplace politics
- Severe management style
- Remote work
- External reasons like a pandemic or a surge in seasonal diseases.
When it comes to the workforce, doctors are among the most at-risk professionals. They had to put in long hours during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic or risk contracting the virus. And it's not only the physical exhaustion; doctors also report feeling emotionally drained. When things get too stressful, "burnout syndrome" gives concrete substance to the phrase "burned out at work" (BOS).
Chronic exhaustion, apathy to work and others, and a feeling of emptiness that develops against a background of persistent stress were described as symptoms of the syndrome by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019 (https://www.who.int/home/search?indexCatalogue=genericsearchindex1&searchQuery=classification%20of%20disease&wordsMode=AnyWord) when they added it to the International Classification of Diseases. Doctor burnout poses a risk to patients because doctors with burnout issues are more likely to make careless mistakes.
Approximately 44% of American doctors across 29 specialties participated in a large-scale
Medscape survey (https://www.medscape.com/sites/public/lifestyle/2017) reported having BOS at work, and 15% reported being sad and considering suicide.
The survey did not seek to prove a connection between burnout and the caliber of the work, but
14% of doctors acknowledged that they began making mistakes they ordinarily wouldn't make,
16% said they could snap at the patient, and 26% said they started filling out patients' medical records carelessly.
Numerous factors contribute to emotional exhaustion. This entails speaking with many people dealing with illness,
challenging circumstances at work, or inevitably coming into contact with death. The microclimate inside the team, the department's methods of operation,
and the mental health assistance are all essential factors.
What may be done and what cannot be done for mental health at work
- We are accountable for our health: Profitability and wellness are interdependent if you manage your practice. Except for us, no one else can handle our mental health situation. So, taking care of ourselves is essential, especially at work. If you encounter any of the following emotions or conditions at work, it's time to consider your health and safety seriously:
- The perception that the work is becoming increasingly complex, causing you to dramatically alter your working style (increase or reduce the working time)
- You frequently bring work home, but you don't since making judgments is challenging.
- Lack of fulfillment of important, priority tasks and "getting stuck" on small details, failing to meet the official requirements, spending the majority of working time on the little-realized or not-realized performance of automatic and elementary actions, disbelief in improvements, decreased enthusiasm for work, disregard for results.
Take prompt action if you notice some of the symptoms. Following these easy procedures may prevent a significant mental collapse at work.
- Do not be embarrassed to discuss your condition.
In their battle against mental illness in others, doctors are renowned for their bravery and selflessness. However,
they frequently overlook their own physical and psychological, psychological well-being. That is a terrible error.
After a very long and challenging day at work, talking about your thoughts can help you feel less upset.
Some people believe it to be a sign of weakness; however, that is a myth. You can locate a coworker with whom you feel at ease.
You must show up to supervision meetings as a mental health professional. If you're a line manager, talking to your staff members about difficult work situations can be a great way to help their mental health.
Keep in mind that your family and friends are your solid foundation. They are undoubtedly helpful and can assist you with work and your mental wellness.
- Look for professional assistance
You could be familiar with a doctor who deals with the detrimental effects of a job on the mind if you work in the medical field.
If not, don't be afraid to speak with your family doctor. He might suggest you seek care from a hospital or mental health professional.
It would help if you took a break once you've requested assistance. Taking the breaks, you are entitled to can be challenging when you are stressed and depressed at work.
You unconsciously think that you are inadequate or that your work is subpar. In other words, impostor syndrome is a problem.
But in these circumstances, taking a break from work, changing the setting, and spending time with the most crucial person in your life—yourself—can be pretty beneficial.
You might need to rethink your workload if you find yourself continuously checking your work email, corresponding with coworkers,
or discussing work-related issues while at home relaxing. It may be the root of chronic stress.
Reference
- https://www.medscape.com/sites/public/lifestyle/2017
- https://www.who.int/home/search?indexCatalogue=genericsearchindex1&searchQuery=classification%20of%20disease&wordsMode=AnyWord
- https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/6-ways-address-physician-stress-during-covid-19-pandemic