Coping with Burnout in the Healthcare Field

Abstract

The healthcare industry is the largest and fastest growing industry in the world; however, being a part of the healthcare system involves being at an increased risk of experiencing mental health problems, loneliness, stress, and increased susceptibility to experiencing compassion fatigue related to the emotional wear associated with providing patient-centered care. Healthcare workers include, but are not limited, to physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, and psychologists. Often, healthcare workers place the needs and wellbeing of patients before their own. This article aims to highlight the occupational hazards of working in the healthcare field, the physical and emotional isolation associated with clinical practice, managing distressing behaviors by patients, and reviewing the systemic barriers influencing the development and management of moral distress. We further aim to bring attention to the need for healthcare professionals to place self-care at the forefront of their therapeutic repertoire through various individualized strategies, through the importance of building moral resilience, and the shift towards improving workplace spirituality. Practicing self-care can address the consequences of neglecting one’s own wellbeing, positively impact the ability to provide better quality patient care, and benefits relationships with patients, loved ones, and of most importantly with oneself.