Mental Health as a Priority for Healthcare Professionals in the Workplace
- Ronell Klingman
- Oct 17, 2024
- 2 min read
The mental health needs of healthcare providers are a public health issue that threatens quality care delivery. Healthcare professionals endure multiple stressors that negatively impact their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Healthcare workers face significant stress from heavy workloads, long shifts, moral conflicts, and a lack of support. This often leads to burnout, depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. As stress builds, professionalism and the quality of patient care can decline.
Burnout, a recognised occupational phenomenon in ICD-11, is alarmingly prevalent among healthcare professionals—nearly twice that of other U.S. workers. Studies link burnout to suboptimal patient care, an increased risk of medical errors, and higher malpractice claims. Distress from medical errors and declining well-being creates a vicious cycle, compounding both personal and professional issues. Burnout further contributes to absenteeism, high turnover, and poor organisational commitment, ultimately affecting patient satisfaction and care outcomes.
Another critical issue is moral injury, arising from actions or decisions that conflict with one’s ethical values. Healthcare workers often face these dilemmas in crisis situations, leading to deep psychological distress. The stigma around mental health among professionals often prevents them from seeking help due to fears of judgment or professional repercussions. This stigma further isolates healthcare workers, making them more prone to burnout and even suicide.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, short-term morale boosters like free lunches and public appreciation for “healthcare heroes” provided momentary relief but may have inadvertently discouraged workers from seeking help. True change demands sustained, meaningful support through policy reform, institutional changes, and ongoing mental health services.
It's imperative to invest in long-term strategies that include access to mental health support, resilience training, telemedicine to ease workload pressures, and shift limitations. Policies should allow for protected personal time, medical appointments, and non-punitive responses to medical errors. Additionally, healthcare institutions must foster environments that encourage peer support, open discussions about mental health, and address the unique challenges based on socio-economic factors, gender, and race. Healthcare leaders play a crucial role in normalising mental health conversations, reducing stigma, and advocating for systematic interventions.
Supporting healthcare workers promotes a healthier workforce and better patient outcomes. The well-being of healthcare workers should be prioritized, fostering a culture of empathy, inclusion, and mutual respect.
Read more:
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.679397
doi: 10.1177/19375867221118685
