Is There Any Treatment for Job Burnout in the Medical Profession?
Workplace stress affects nearly everyone, and can have serious consequences for the mental health and well being of workers. Some professions, such as medicine and teaching are harder hit by stress and job burnout than others. In particular, physicians experience job burnout at a higher rate than the general population. This is a matter of concern in public health circles, since it may affect job performance and patient care. There are no easy fixes for workplace problems like job burnout and workplace anger, but some small steps can help to make a difference.
Job burnout in the medical profession
Job burnout is understood as a long-term emotional exhaustion, manifested as cynicism, disillusionment and a lack of enthusiasm for the job. It may lead to mental health problems like depression, and other issues like addiction. Burnout symptoms appear among physicians at a much higher rate than in other professions. Nearly half, or 45.8% of physicians show signs of job burnout.
Younger physicians under 35 years of age have the highest burnout rate among all professions, at 44%. Female physicians report higher rates of job burnout than their male counterparts. Being a physician is a stressful job, and the statistics show that it can have a harmful impact on their personal lives.
Impact of job burnout
One of the consequences of job stress and burnout is depression. Medical students have higher rates of depression than the general population by 15 to 30%. Physicians are twice as likely to be dissatisfied with their work-life balance than the general population. They also have higher rates of divorce and suicide.
Job stress affects the professional as well as the personal lives of those in the medical profession. Issues like burnout and workplace anger are causing concern in public health circles because they can affect job performance and patient care as well. The old saying, “Physician, heal thyself” comes to mind, but there aren’t any clear-cut treatments for job burnout.
Is there any burnout treatment?
While the importance of finding ways to prevent and treat burnout is evident, there are no easy solutions. Some efforts to create a better work-life balance show some results. Interventions such as mindfulness, meditation and massage, that promote physical and mental relaxation, show some positive results, as does cognitive-behavioral training.
Giving physicians and medical staff greater control over their work schedules and hours is another strategy that helps to reduce stress and increase job satisfaction.
Stress on the job and workplace anger can create serious mental health problems for workers. Job burnout is prevalent in the medical field, which is a matter of concern in public health circles. There are no easy solutions, but mental and physical relaxation through mindfulness reduces job stress. Greater control over work schedules and hours likewise improves job satisfaction, reducing the potential for burnout on the job.
