Healthcare Worker Burnout
Tiara Sank
.Dr. Bernadette M. Pollard
Interprofessional Organizational and Systems Leadership
September 6, 2024
The national healthcare issue I have selected is healthcare worker burnout, a significant and emerging problem with important implications for healthcare organizations across the states. In response to your question, I must say that burnout has increased at my organization, especially among those occupying the front line. This burnout has been defined as the exhaustion that diminishes the employees’ ability to feel emotionally connected to their work, resulting in an erosion of feelings of accomplishment; the employees’ morale and the results of the patients have both been affected. From my organization’s records, there has been a significant increase in employee turnover within the past year, and most said burnout was a reason for quitting.
Burnout of the healthcare workers has stretched my organization to the operational limit. There has been a higher number of people not coming to work, the pace of working has slowed, and there has been a marked rise in the number of employees quitting their jobs. For example, current organizational statistics show that [particular percentage] of nursing employees have complained of stress, where most highlighted challenges such as poor staffing, increased workload, and long working hours. This has led to a problem of delayed care since patients are waiting for extended periods to receive care. The staff has also suffered burnout, which has lowered their satisfaction with their work and added to the staffing problem with adequate professionals with expertise.
The first article I read by Rehder et al. (2021) addresses the state of healthcare worker burnout and its consequences, among other issues. Notably, the measures that may enhance work capacity seem affordable institutional approaches, including improving the organizational and leadership culture. The second article by Murthy (2022) analyses extant structural Το causes of burnout: bureaucracy, lack of support, and moral violation. There is also a need for drastic and integrated solutions, as identified by Murthy; the solutions for preventing burnout include cutting on documentation among the practitioners and increasing access to mental health services. This article helps explain how systemic changes can lead to sustainable changes in the needs of healthcare workers (Murthy, 2022).
Regarding the issue of HCW burnout, several organizations are following wellness promotional campaigns, offering flexibility in shift working, and promoting mental health. For instance, specific organizations have developed several measures, including implementing EAPs that entail mental health practitioners and peer support groups. Some have rearranged work schedules to incorporate reduced working hours in a day so that the employee gets adequate rest before returning to work. Greco et al. (2022a) also stress the importance of leadership support for these changes since leaders define the organizational climate. In addition, strands of literature also note that restructuring shifts and introducing wellness programs may prove challenging. They must be planned well and may be met with stiff resistance since the proposed change will disrupt their work routines (Carter and Busby, 2023).
It can eliminate burnout by implementing flexible work schedules so employees have adequate time to rest before starting the following shifts in my organization. Further, the adoption of resources on mental health, like counseling services and peer support, may also enhance the welfare and staff contentment at work. On the flip side, these changes have associated costs and interfere with the current setting at work. For instance, restructuring shifts would mean that more workers would be needed to form one shift, which could prove costly for the organization with time. Nonetheless, it is essential to note that long-term advantages such as staff turnaround, reduced patient turnover, and increased patient satisfaction make the said strategies worthwhile.
References
Greco, E., Graziano, E. A., Stella, G. P., Mastrodascio, M., & Cedrone, F. (2022). The impact of leadership on perceived work-related stress in healthcare facilities organizations. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 35(4/5), 734-748. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-12-2021-0402
Carter, M. W., & Busby, C. R. (2023). How can operational research make a real difference in healthcare? Challenges of implementation. European Journal of Operational Research, 306(3), 1059–1068. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2023.02.009
Rehder, K., Adair, K. C., & Sexton, J. B. (2021). The science of health care worker burnout: assessing and improving health care worker well-being. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, 145(9), 1095-1109.
Murthy, V. H. (2022). Confronting health worker burnout and well-being. New England Journal of Medicine, 387(7), 577-579.