Authors: Rachel Denison; Danielle Lott; Eric K. Shaw; Audrey Johnson
Contact Information:
[email protected]Background
Burnout is a growing epidemic affecting healthcare professionals worldwide. A 2023 study found that 45% of pharmacists reported burnout. As a profession that relies heavily on hands-on learning, the need for assessment of burnout amongst pharmacy preceptors is critical. A 2022 survey-based study of pharmacy preceptors in northern California found that 57% of participants were experiencing burnout. Other studies have examined burnout amongst pharmacists and pharmacy leadership, but there remains limited information regarding burnout amongst pharmacy preceptors across the United States.
Methods
This survey-based study aimed to assess burnout amongst pharmacy preceptors across the United States. Preceptors were contacted by email through health system and professional society registries. Participants were included if they self-identified as a pharmacist preceptor for pharmacy students and/or residents. The primary outcome was the percentage of burnout amongst participating pharmacy preceptors using the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory. Burnout was defined as a Copenhagen Burnout Inventory score ≥ 50. Secondary outcomes included subcategories of burnout: personal, work-related, and learner-related. Secondary outcomes were analyzed by additional contributing factors related to pharmacy preceptors. Statistical analyses utilized were Pearson’s chi-square test and Fischer’s exact test.
Results
From the invitations sent, 638 participants across the United States completed the survey. A total of 311/638 (48.7%) pharmacy preceptors had scores that indicated burnout. Of the participants experiencing burnout, the following also indicated burnout in learner-related, personal, and work-related subcategories: 230/311 (74%) learner-related burnout, 283/311 (91%) personal burnout, and 281/311 (90.4 %) work-related burnout. Factors related to participants who scored above threshold for burnout include: highest level of postgraduate training, precepting at university-affiliated teaching hospitals, greater percentage of students/residents that were difficult to teach and/or unmotivated, greater average number of hours worked per week, preceptors who participate in daily rounding, and greater amount of free time spent on work-related responsibilities. Factors related to participants who scored below threshold for burnout were: precepting at non-teaching hospitals, compensation or rewards for precepting, having adequate time for administrative or precepting duties, and having children/dependents.
Conclusion
This study examined current burnout trends facing pharmacy preceptors across the United States. Our survey recognized that 48.7% of participating preceptors are experiencing burnout. These results provide information about contributing factors to burnout, specifically learner-related, personal, and work-related burnout factors. Due to different cultures amongst employers, this study could be replicated at individual sites to determine levels of burnout and site-specific risk factors. Limitations of this study include possible biases created by a survey-based study, underrepresentation in several regions of the U.S., inability to rule out duplicate responses, and inability to verify survey responses. Our survey illustrates the need to further develop processes and initiatives that could be incorporated to improve reduce preceptor burnout.
