A Neurological Analysis of Current Solutions to Healthcare Provider Burnout

Abstract

Most of us have all experienced situations involving high stress over an extended period of time that left us feeling exhausted. As a result, we might have felt withdrawn from our work, had low levels of energy throughout the day, and even experienced decreased efficiency. Everything felt like a never-ending chore due to the pressure. Neurological research has shown that our stress response is an innate process that is key to survival. This is performed through effects on our cognitive and physical states by influencing the brain, musculoskeletal system, and cardiovascular system [1]. However, our stress response can also lead to worsening impacts on our mental health when there are great environmental, physiological or emotional demands over a significant period of time [2]. The result of this is referred to as ‘burnout syndrome’ in the International Classification of Diseases [3]. Burnout syndrome is “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed” [3]. One of the fields that is the most notable for burnout syndrome is medicine. Burnout syndrome in the healthcare industry is a well-reported issue that has been apparent for several decades. The American Medical Association (AMA) reports that most physicians work 40-60 hours a week with nearly one-quarter of physicians working 61-80 hours per week [4]. This statistic does not include the hours they have all spent working 24-hour on-call shifts repeatedly throughout their medical school and residency training. Moreover, nurses regularly work 12-hour shifts [5]. The high stress and long hours can lead to detrimental results, including workforce shortages, worsening of care for patients, and impacts on the physical, emotional and mental health of the providers [6]. It is important to manage the well-being of the healthcare staff to avoid these results. Two of the methods that have been studied to mitigate these outcomes include intermittent naps and increasing illuminance during overnight shifts [7–9]. This article will closely examine these enactments to observe whether they truly overcome provider burnout.