It’s clear she doesn’t want people to just keep going when they feel burned out because that doesn’t help them. “The culture is ‘come in, be the best, persevere,’” she says of the approach she’s learned to champion. Instead, she’d like to see people take a step back, reflect and make time for self-care.
“Burnout seems to be at a higher level than we’ve ever seen. And that’s largely because we have an aging population with higher needs, but we also have an aging healthcare workforce that is retiring and changing the way they work. The demands are higher, the patients are more complex and there are fewer people to manage them,” she explains, adding that many healthcare providers experience a lot of guilt because if they have to withdraw, the work will fall to someone else.
Across the country, medical associations have mental health support services in place to recognize and meet the growing need, such as CMA, which has a website page designed to help guide people through what may be available to them.
“There has never been more recognition of burnout, not as a personal flaw, but as a systemic flaw. So reaching out and seeking help is less stigmatized than ever.”
A large part of burnout prevention consists of seeking help and support, and feeling supported in the work environment.
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