Etezad Seyedehsan, Fleming Mark, Weigand Heidi A, Hartt Christopher M, Dutton Daniel J, Barker James R, Brunt Keith R
Psychology Department, Saint Mary's University.
Rowe School of Business.
Can Pharm J (Ott). 2023 Feb 15;156(2):71-84. doi: 10.1177/17151635231152170. eCollection 2023 Mar-Apr.
The COVID-19 pandemic added significant occupational pressures on community pharmacists. The objective of this research project was to investigate the level of distress and burnout among community pharmacy professionals and its association with their retention within their occupation as well as patient safety outcomes.
We conducted a cross-sectional study on 722 community pharmacy professionals from all Canadian provinces using an online survey, including scientifically validated measures. The data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis.
In Canada, 85% of community pharmacy professionals reported their mental health had suffered since the COVID-19 pandemic. Younger pharmacy professionals and those paid hourly reported a worsening level of mental health and an increasing level of turnover intention. Pharmacists with more dynamic/disrupted work schedules and those working for a large pharmacy chain (more than 25 pharmacies in Canada) reported lower levels of mental health quality. Pharmacy professionals working in pharmacies that are open more than 70 hours a week reported a lower level of patient safety culture. Pharmacists' mental health was the significant predictor of their turnover intention, implying a heightened risk to professional effectiveness and retention. Compassion satisfaction was positively associated with patient safety culture and safety behaviour, while compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress were significantly associated with pharmacists' level of risk-taking behaviours.
This study emphasized the importance of prioritizing the mental health and well-being of community pharmacy professionals and demonstrated individual and systemic factors predicting the well-being and turnover intention of community pharmacists, as well as patient safety culture within their pharmacy. This research makes a case to consider actions to shift the monitoring focus from community pharmacists (also known as "individual responsibility") to community pharmacies (also known as "operational responsibility") for managing patient safety. Additionally, community pharmacists should be provided with the professional autonomy to affect their working conditions and alleviate the stress that has the potential to negatively affect the delivery of care.
新冠疫情给社区药剂师带来了巨大的职业压力。本研究项目的目的是调查社区药房专业人员的痛苦和倦怠程度，以及其与职业留存率和患者安全结果之间的关联。
我们通过在线调查对来自加拿大所有省份的722名社区药房专业人员进行了横断面研究，调查内容包括经过科学验证的测量指标。数据采用多元回归分析进行分析。
在加拿大，85%的社区药房专业人员报告称自新冠疫情以来他们的心理健康受到了影响。年轻的药房专业人员和按小时计酬的人员心理健康状况恶化，离职意愿增加。工作时间表更动态/不规律的药剂师以及在大型连锁药房（在加拿大有超过25家药店）工作的药剂师心理健康质量较低。每周营业超过70小时的药店中的药房专业人员报告称患者安全文化水平较低。药剂师的心理健康是其离职意愿的重要预测因素，这意味着职业效能和留存率面临更高风险。同情满意度与患者安全文化和安全行为呈正相关，而同情疲劳和继发性创伤压力与药剂师的冒险行为水平显著相关。
本研究强调了优先考虑社区药房专业人员心理健康和福祉的重要性，并展示了预测社区药剂师福祉、离职意愿以及其所在药房患者安全文化的个体和系统因素。这项研究表明有必要考虑采取行动，将管理患者安全的监测重点从社区药剂师（也称为“个人责任”）转移到社区药房（也称为“运营责任”）。此外，应赋予社区药剂师专业自主权，以改善他们的工作条件，减轻可能对护理服务产生负面影响的压力。
