Burnout in Healthcare Systems Discussion Paper
The human body is capable of multitasking and constantly adapting to change. The condition determines when organs should function or push their limits to achieve a specific objective within the healthcare system. Health care workers are trained to constantly adapt and change to assist their patients. However, this constant overwork and repetition have a toll on the body leading many health care workers to burn out. More preventative treatment should be available for healthcare workers. As well as constant evaluation to determine the severity of health care workers and when to begin the interventions. In the healthcare sector, burnout is explained as being emotionally exhausted by life’s constant demands while unable to keep up with them, such as having long working hours with plenty of patients seeking healthcare services (Scott et al.)Burnout in Healthcare Systems Discussion Paper. Burnout can present itself in various ways, emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by stress. It can feel overwhelmed and cause misdiagnosing and delay in care and interventions. This research paper aims to investigate burnout conditions within healthcare facilities.
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Various types of burnout exist within the healthcare systems, including neglect burnout. It is a condition that makes healthcare service providers feel powerless at work. If things aren’t going as planned, they may think they cannot meet their obligations. Imposter syndrome, a pattern of self-doubt about one’s abilities, skills, and achievements, is directly linked to burnout in healthcare systems. Another type of burnout in the healthcare profession is known as overload burnout. When the healthcare givers push themselves to the point of exhaustion in their quest for achievement, they end themselves in this situation. It results from having the desire to feel productive in the workplace; they may be prepared to put their health and personal well-being in danger (Green et al. 213)Burnout in Healthcare Systems Discussion Paper. The last type of burnout in the healthcare system is known as under-challenged burnout. It happens whenever healthcare professionals feel bored and undervalued at work. The clinical officers may not be able to progress professionally in their current position. They may grow cynical and shun responsibility if the individuals feel under-challenged at work. Therefore individuals must be capable of differentiating between various types of burnout present within the healthcare profession.
There are also multiple ways healthcare professionals can establish can find out they are experiencing burnout while in their workplaces. For example, whenever individuals realize that their work performances are decreasing. Individuals may not be able to achieve their daily targets, such as attending to a specific number of patients within the healthcare facility. Such a scenario of reduction in performance levels may indicate that a healthcare professional is experiencing Burnout (Scott et al.)Burnout in Healthcare Systems Discussion Paper. Also, cases of exhaustion in the workplace may suggest that the healthcare worker suffers from burnout. It is accompanied by feelings of being emotionally exhausted and not able to deal with any condition around the workplace, such as attending to patients, among other activities. As a result, healthcare workers must be able to identify early signs of burnout for medical assistance.
Individuals working as healthcare service providers in various medical facilities should be prepared to deal with any challenging tasks and conditions within the workplace. For example, Previously COVID-19 pandemic was spreading at an alarming rate all over the globe. Many people would not believe that the pandemic was real despite being warned by health-related organizations, government, and healthcare systems. Many individuals were contracting the illness and seeking assistance from various healthcare facilities. It was challenging for most healthcare service providers as they had to contain and attend to all patients effectively. Despite the government implementing protective measures to help manage the infections, several individuals could not adhere to such. While working in a specific healthcare facility within the country, the healthcare facility would have large numbers of COVID-19 patients awaiting diagnosis and treatment. Most of the victims were in denial that the infection was not in existence. A case was reported whereby specific individual suffering from a coronavirus infection disconnected the optical mask. The optical cover is an essential piece of equipment that offers support to patients with inhaling challenges by increasing the amount of oxygen available to ensure the effective functioning of their lungs. On a close examination, trying to find out why the patient could do such a harmful activity, the patient expressed a feeling of being hostage when he was in the intensive care unit. As healthcare service providers, we were on a mandate to ensure that we protect our lives and other patients by wearing complete protective equipment. As a result, in attempts to save the individual’s life by requesting more support from other nurses in the healthcare facility, the patient lost his life due to ignorance. As a healthcare professional, the situation exposes individuals to prolonged stress as they have to contain themselves due to increased stress and anxiety. It is challenging for a nurse to cope with such working conditions while ensuring the safety of the patients seeking medical support. Therefore, the stress in healthcare workplaces is caused by a lack of adequate training and preparedness to respond to emergency conditions Burnout in Healthcare Systems Discussion Paper.
Interview
As a healthcare professional, it is always important to remember to put on protective gear before assisting any patient. However, there are occasions where healthcare staff run into emergency facilities to help individuals ignoring the healthcare precautions to save a life and other instances where the healthcare staff takes their time to put on protective equipment before intervening in the emergency case. Both cases represent how burnout can affect the patient and present itself differently within healthcare facilities. The interview process targeted healthcare staff currently working in a specific healthcare facility to discover their thoughts and feelings about the issue. A few of my coworkers have worked in the healthcare profession way longer than I have and have much more experience, knowledge, wisdom, and opinions about the matter. As a result, utilizing them in the interview process would enable the research to incorporate credible and reliable information concerning burnout in the healthcare profession.
The interview process targeted a familiar nurse who has been in the field for approximately 15 years. A doctor who has been working for twenty and a few EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians) and CNAs (Certified Nurse Aid) were also part of the participants in the data collection. The interview process establishes that they chose nursing careers because it was a good, reliable job, and being able to help someone meant a lot to them. The interview questions sought to know if they have ever felt burnout or if they thought about a career change at some point while serving in the medical facility. Here are some of the responses the interview process highlighted from the participants “This is my sixth shift in a row,” “we are the highest pay waitress,” “This job is so lame, I do not even pay attention because I have heard it before . Burnout in Healthcare Systems Discussion Paper ”These comments can also trigger other coworkers to feel a certain way and make flawed assumptions about a patent, line of work, expectations, and work environment standards. There were also comments regarding how the individuals felt they were being mistreated. A few said they felt underappreciated, overworked, and under-compensated. Here is one of the responses from a CNA participant, “I have the whole unit to myself, and everyone has a specific task they want to be done that takes way too long, and they do not ask nicely. I also have not had my lunch break or had time to talk to my family or even sit down for even five seconds.” On examination, the comments from the participants in the study may not seem sensible, and individuals may ignore them at some point. However, it is essential to note that every individual has a right to feel exhaustion in the workplace whenever the conditions are challenging to their emotional well-being. Burnout can negatively affect the functioning of the healthcare facility as nurses may not be able to effectively perform diagnostic procedures and recommend intervention strategies for various patients exhibiting various types of illnesses. As a result, it is crucial that the issue the relevant authorities address the conditions to ensure the effective functioning of the healthcare facility Burnout in Healthcare Systems Discussion Paper.
Common Numbers Charts
Table 1 shows the percentage of health care workers leaving the profession due to burnout.
The study questioned and obtained possible considerations and the main reasons healthcare workers leave their positions. The article states, “In 2018, 14% of nurse anesthetists in the United States changed their primary position. In addition, 38% considered leaving their position. The combined incidence of approximately half the nurse anesthetists may seem strikingly high” (Dexter et al. 489). Large numbers of nurses left or changed their careers due to having feelings of burnout. The data shows that not just one thing is attributed to a career change or decision to quit your job. Although many other reasons push healthcare workers, many of those reasons have simple solutions such as better compensation, adequate staff, and better management.
Even though burnout is present in every workplace, some individuals urge that it is dramatized. According to previous research, the issue of workplace burnout is not only current in healthcare facilities but also multiple workplaces. The study expresses concerns about how the case is presented in medical articles and literature. The disciplines allege that healthcare burnout is the primary reason that poses a significant threat to their functioning and effectiveness in delivering services to patients (“Margaret Kay: Physicians Health Starts with All of Us – The BMJ”)Burnout in Healthcare Systems Discussion Paper. The research explains how rare it is for physicians to experience burnout since they are in excellent health, and burnout is usually tied with mental health concerns and impairments. As a result, individuals should learn that burnout occurs in almost every workplace, and they should know how to manage the conditions rather than dramatizing their occurrences.
COVID: USED RT AND ONCOLOGY
The recent global pandemic of COVID-19 has presented various challenging conditions to healthcare providers. On the contrary, it’s been putting more pressure on healthcare facilities. A previous study shows that “As of March 24, 2021, there have been 123,902,242 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, including 2,727,837 deaths with >540,000 deaths in the United States alone.” (L Evans 881) Healthcare, in general, has its obstacles and levels of intensity. On top of that, most facilities are short-staffed and overloaded with patients, increasing staff stress levels. The individual will shift after applying all those protective layers at the start. The situation can expose healthcare staff to burnout as a study states, “The most commonly reported concerns among health care professionals during the pandemic have included fear of becoming infected and infecting loved ones, social isolation, stigma in their communities, and emotional distress. Fear of insufficient access to vital resources such as personal protective equipment and ventilators and insufficient staffing paired with high patient volumes have further heightened stress levels.” (L Evans 881)Burnout in Healthcare Systems Discussion Paper. Another study supports healthcare burnout by stating, “Oncology nurses believe burnout is caused by being short-staffed, resulting in increased workload and powerful feelings of pressure. Therefore, higher patient-to-nurse ratios have repeatedly been demonstrated as an important cause of burnout.
Another study supports the findings and highlights a link between unsupportive and inefficient teams and burnout, concluding that burnout was less likely to occur when nurses felt supported, had adequate training, and received recognition. The research argues, “Staff teams with positive and clear leadership that recognizes and rewards staff and provides educational opportunities experience less burnout.” (Nwanya et al. 11)Burnout in Healthcare Systems Discussion Paper. Also, it suggests that when individuals have adequate resources and support can make any tasks seem more approachable. Therefore, individuals should note the various causes of burnout within the healthcare facility and seek alternatives to address the condition.
Mental Health
Mental health is an essential aspect individuals should consider while working in the healthcare system. It influences how healthcare professionals attend to various patients seeking services within the facilities. Multiple conditions can negatively affect the mental states of healthcare professionals, such as prolonged working hours, isolation, and challenging work environments. Previous research in India attempts to justify the presence of burnout conditions in the healthcare profession. It suggests that the conditions lead to prolonged stress and anxiety while attending to various patients. The study highlights that individuals in healthcare show some amounts of stress while at work and home. However, it is justifiable that increased pressure in workplaces can increase the chances of individuals suffering from mental disorders due to burnout. Another study states that it is essential for individuals to have stress coping skills while in the workplace. It says, ” Historically, evidence-based interventions have focused on individual coping skills, in contrast with targeted interventions that address workplace factors that contribute to burnout” (Green et al. 214). As a result, it is essential for healthcare staff to have the appropriate intervention approaches to address the conditions and ensure better mental health. However, the research study establishes that mental health-related conditions such as anxiety are prevalent among the healthcare staff. According to previous research, “Socioeconomic status, training received before joining work, type of work, perception regarding work was found to be important factors affecting mental health.” (Satyanarayana and Pulagam 1845)Burnout in Healthcare Systems Discussion Paper. As a result, the individual’s levels of mental stress depend on various factors within the healthcare facility, such as the nature of the task undertaken.
Stress
There is a constant level of stress healthcare professionals regularly experience. Whether it’s in the Emergency department, Medsurge, Progressive Care Unit (PCU), Clinics, home health, Nursing homes, and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). A previous study attempted to investigate stress among healthcare professionals and discovered that stress was a significant causal element of burnout among the healthcare staff. The study states, “Burnout, exhaustion, and disengagement were significantly lower in HCPs working in the neonatal ICU than in adult medical ICUs. Less sleep at night was associated with higher levels of burnout, and people who worked longer in the ICU had higher levels of burnout, exhaustion, and disengagement.” (Sanil et al. 69)Burnout in Healthcare Systems Discussion Paper. However, the ICU is not the only place people experience burnout. Many nurse anesthetists have considered leaving their job or did. “In 2017, approximately 13.6% (99% CI, 6.6%-25.8%) of nurse anesthetists left their positions as of December 31, 2016. Approximately 37.6% considered leaving but did not resign their position as of December 31, 2017 (99% CI, 26.2%-50.6%). Combining those who left and those who considered leaving, without double counting, approximately half the nurse anesthetists in the United States either changed or considered leaving their primary position” (Dexter et al. 486). Therefore, individuals need to note that a wide range of factors within the healthcare profession can expose individuals to stress, which causes burnout.
Prevention
Although burnout is expected in the healthcare community, it is triggered by constant anxiety, overwork, and repetition, mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion. There are educational programs that prevent burnout among mental health professionals. Previous research states that “Educational Programs for Burnout Prevention among Healthcare Professionals in Mental Health” (L Yuriyeva 349). It found that burnout was seen only in 85% of the doctors and detected in 79% of physicians. However, the youngest specialist with the least work experience, about a fiver or so, demonstrated the lowest burnout symptoms compared to those specialists with ten to fourteen years of experience. The article suggests that training young specialists could prevent burnout by a few simple steps like recognizing the characteristics of burnout and having a go-to therapist. They are also learning practical communication skills in communication with patients, developing self-confidence, relaxation techniques and their development, and techniques aimed at increasing the human tolerance of occupational stress. Also, the research suggests effective time management and principles of conducting debriefing after a critical situation can assist individuals in preventing and addressing Burnout (L Yuriyeva 349)Burnout in Healthcare Systems Discussion Paper. Therefore, every healthcare institution should ensure adequate personnel training to overcome the condition.
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Conclusion
The human body is capable of multitasking and constantly adapting to change. The condition determines when organs should function or push their limits to achieve a specific objective within the healthcare system. Burnout can occur in various forms such as emotional, physical, or mental exhaustion and can lead to misdiagnosis of patients with multiple health conditions or may increase the rate at which staff quit their jobs. Individuals need to know when they experience burnout by examining stress and anxiety. As a result, appropriate preventive measures such as enrollment inappropriate stress management programs and seeing for help can help healthcare personnel address the condition Burnout in Healthcare Systems Discussion Paper