Burnout is a term we hear a lot these days, but what does it really mean? The World Health Organization (WHO) defines burnout as a job-related issue or syndrome: “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”1. According to the WHO, burnout symptoms include:
- Feelings of being completely drained or exhausted
- Growing mental distance from your job, or feelings of negativity or cynicism about your job
- Lower sense of professional effectiveness
Why burnout is especially serious in healthcare
It’s well-known that health care professionals (HCPs) today are dealing with tremendous and unprecedented pressure. Burnout in the field is on the rise, and, in fact, it’s an issue that’s been around for a long time. Health care professionals have reported symptoms of burnout in research going back even before the COVID-19 pandemic.2
Based on the WHO’s definition, workplace stress and fatigue could affect an HCP’s ability to care for patients and may lead to a higher risk of medical mistakes — which should be a real concern for everyone. But is there solid proof that burnout affects patient care? According to a major study led by Dr Alexander Hodkinson and recently published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ)3, the answer is a troubling “yes.”
Burnout is spreading rapidly
The Hodkinson study pulls together 170 previous observational studies on burnout among doctors, their engagement with their careers, and how it impacts the quality of patient care. These studies included the experiences of 239,246 doctors from the USA, the UK, Africa, and Asia.
The review and analysis show that burnout is a worldwide problem linked to doctors disconnecting from their careers and possibly affecting the quality of patient care. Several findings focus on the UK specifically.
The General Medical Council’s most recent annual survey of trainee doctors in the UK, published in July 2022, got responses from over 67,000 HCPs. It found that “the risk of burnout is now the highest it has ever been” since tracking started in 20184. Two-thirds of trainees told the regulator they “always” or “often” feel worn out at the end of their workday, and 44 percent said they frequently feel “exhausted in the morning at the thought of another day at work.”
Another recent survey, by the UK Medical Defence Union (MDU)5, found that six out of ten respondents said their sleep patterns had gotten worse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Side effects of not getting enough sleep reported by doctors included poor focus (64 percent), trouble making decisions (40 percent), mood swings (37 percent), and mental health concerns (30 percent). These negative effects can hinder a doctor’s ability to take care of patients or lead to near misses.
The proven effect of burnout on patient safety
How strong is the evidence that burnout affects both patients and doctors? Respondents in the MDU survey mentioned nearly 40 near misses and seven incidents where a patient was actually harmed5.
The Hodkinson report also explains that doctors experiencing burnout are twice as likely as their peers to be involved in patient safety incidents. They also display lower standards of professionalism and are more likely to get poor ratings from patients for the quality of care.
The report also finds that the consequences of burnout drag down the quality of patient care, with the greatest impact in high-pressure healthcare settings. These include emergency departments and intensive care units — areas where patients are typically at their most vulnerable3.
A jump in sharps injuries is one sign of burnout
As burnout has become more of a problem — especially since COVID-19 — it’s no surprise that healthcare workers are reporting more sharp injuries.
A 2021 survey by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN)6 found that 15 percent of the 7,571 respondents experienced a sharps injury in 2020, and that these injuries had risen by 50 percent since their previous survey in 2008. The RCN identified reasons for this increase such as inadequate staffing, lack of training, and pandemic-related exhaustion.
If we can’t lower burnout, we must boost safety
It’s clear that the effects of burnout in medicine — tiredness and low morale — are not likely to disappear soon, especially as COVID-19 continues to affect the healthcare industry. The spike in needlestick injuries shown by the RCN survey is one outcome. This means that prioritizing the safety of both practitioners and patients is critical. The RCN says offering better access to safer sharps is a key step6, while medical device makers have a duty to provide safe, user-friendly products for HCPs and patients.
The role of innovation in healthcare
As a top manufacturer of medical devices for blood sampling, rapid testing, and drug delivery, we believe innovation matters in protecting both clinicians and patients. Breakthrough ideas, new materials, and smart design can make healthcare workplaces safer, especially under stress. These approaches can also lead to better patient experiences and help build sustainable practices across healthcare.
As Tracey Sainsbury, Group Product Manager, puts it: “We strongly believe we can help alleviate some of the pressure with solutions designed to protect healthcare professionals and improve clinical experiences, to help them provide the best possible patient care.”
References
1. https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases
2. Lee RT, Seo B,, Hladkiyi S, Lovell BL, Schwartzmann L. Correlates of physician burnout across regions and specialities: a meta-analysis. Hum Resour Health 2013, 11:doi:10.1186/1478 – 4491.11 – 48 pmid: 24074053.
3. Hodkinson A, Zhou A, Johnson J et al Associations of physical burnout with career engagement and quality of patient care, systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 2022: 378: e070442.
4. General Medical Council, National Training Survey 2022 results.
5. https://www.themdu.com/press-centre/press-releases/sleep-deprived-doctors-concerned-about-patient-safety.
6. https://www.rcn.org.uk/news-and-events/press-releases/pressures-of-pandemic-and-lack-of-training-see-rise-in-sharps-injuries