Burnout among health care professionals is a topic garnering attention. It is long overdue. It is time for health care leaders, educators, and employers to address the issue head on.
Future health care professionals have a long road ahead. Multiple years of school, clerkships, residency, fellowship, and continuing education await. Long days (and nights), stressful work environments, and expectations from employers, academic institutions, professional societies, and others will demand their time and attention. This type of servant leadership may sound exciting to future clinicians.
Demands continue throughout our professional career as life grows more complex and presents new challenges. Our priorities shift and the time we allocate toward professional responsibilities may change as well. That’s life. You could say the journey is never complete. Some people power through, striving to “have it all,” when in reality they are sacrificing something in the attempt. For many, it’s our own happiness and well-being. Is this good? Is this normal?
Is there a way to learn all of the knowledge and skills required to be a competent health care provider without subjecting students, residents, and fellows to burnout? Some would argue it’s a rite of passage. Others say it’s a test of will. What about traumatizing? Agonizing? Unhealthy? Sure, most would admit, but no one likes talking about that.
Burnout is “taboo” in health care professions. If we talk about being overworked, anxious, or unhappy, it might be uncomfortable, sound weak, or feel like failure. Maybe people cry out for help every day. The politically correct word is “venting.” Ask anyone who’s a friend or in a relationship with a health care professional. Do you know anyone else who vents more about their job? We do this as a coping mechanism. Most people experience burnout, but no one truly admits how seriously it impacts us.
Some of us grin and bear it for the sake of a security, fear of change, or dedication to our professional goals. Some of us change employers, transition to new roles, or move on to entirely new careers. This is a problem that must be addressed.
We need to explore ways to support our peers coping with burnout. We’re so innately competitive. As colleagues, we must give each other permission to speak freely. It’s OK to be vulnerable. It’s not weak, it’s formidable. It’s human. It’s real.
As educators, we must admit this is an issue most, if not all, health care professionals experience. We must communicate this directly and deliberately to future professionals. We should be competent in identifying and managing stress for ourselves and for others. We must provide and promote resources like mental health services. Let’s hardwire support systems within our curriculums, postgrad training programs, and work environments.
As employers, we must invest in our employees. “Vacation shamed” describes how people actually feel when they request time off. Why? We should take time to understand what our people value. Maybe it’s less about salary and more about personal time. Let’s review paid leave policies and build in flexibility for new hires (every other industry does).
These are only a few examples of how we can begin addressing burnout in health care. It all starts with a conversation. We must take a long, hard look at our culture and ask, “How can we recognize health, well-being, and happiness the same way we celebrate publications, podium presentations, and hours worked?”
We are patient care providers and we’re willing to sacrifice whatever it takes for our patients. But if we push ourselves too far, how safe and effective is the care we provide? What type of health care professionals are we if we don’t care for the health of our profession? We need change—for the well-being of our current and future workforce. If not for our sake, for our patient’s sake.
P.S. A word on “millennials.” Millennials may be viewed as self-absorbed job-hoppers that lack work ethic. There is certainly a large generational divide to acknowledge, but it is beyond the scope of this article. We’re not perfect, we are different. I challenge everyone to consider the perspective outlined in the previous paragraphs. The emphasis is on life, well-being, and happiness that defy traditional workplace culture. Are these values worth changing tradition? Let’s start the conversation.