Healthcare Workers and Long Hours
DCC Leadership Development and Coaching: Transforming Work
World-class coaching program provider in leadership development, culture shift, and career development for 20+ years.
We know our healthcare workers are strong, dedicated individuals. Their endurance and resilience are unequaled in any field. This is because healthcare individuals know their purpose.
This does not mean that our healthcare workers do not get tired, stressed, or even burned out. One major complaint of every healthcare worker is the long hours.
The effects of long working hours in healthcare can impact both the individual healthcare worker and the healthcare system as a whole. Some potential effects of long working hours in healthcare include:
1?? Physical and mental fatigue
Working long hours can lead to physical and mental exhaustion, which can impact a healthcare worker's ability to perform their job effectively and safely.
2?? Increased risk of errors
Long working hours can lead to an increased risk of errors, particularly in tasks that require attention to detail or decision-making.
3?? Burnout
The high levels of stress and workload associated with long working hours in healthcare can lead to burnout, which can result in reduced job satisfaction and an increase in staff turnover.
4?? Negative impact on personal life
领英推荐
Long working hours can have a negative impact on an individual's personal life, as they may have less time to spend with family and friends, pursue hobbies, or engage in self-care activities.
5?? Patient safety concerns
Long working hours can impact patient safety, as healthcare workers may not have the time or energy to provide optimal care to their patients.
6?? Decreased productivity
Long working hours can lead to decreased productivity, as healthcare workers may be less able to focus and work effectively.
7?? Increased healthcare costs
Long working hours can lead to increased healthcare costs, as the healthcare system may have to provide additional resources to support staff working long hours, such as overtime pay or additional staffing.
It is important for healthcare organizations to ensure that their staff is not working excessively long hours, as this can have negative impacts on both the healthcare workers and the patients they serve.
DCC understands that one key factor here is the relationship between management and healthcare workers. Management should understand the non-visual cues that their employees show when they are overworked. Healthcare workers sometimes endure too much, which ends up hurting their physical and mental health. Communicating the needs of both the healthcare institution and the staff should always be a priority and never be left to chance. Management should be proactive and open, so healthcare employees can talk about their needs. We teach healthcare workers how to communicate better with their teams, and we instruct leaders on how to show value to their staff. We achieve amazing teamwork, where the whole is stronger than the sum of its parts, through our Healthcare Now program. Let me tell you more about it. Please email us at [email protected].