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Sprinting for a marathon. That’s how I describe what it’s been like to work as a community pharmacist for the past two years.
At Market Street Pharmacy in McKinney, Texas, where I’ve been a pharmacist for eight years, we have a loyal customer base—most have been with the store since before I started. We serve all ages, but a large portion of our customer base is older. That population needs help with their medications, so it’s a place where pharmacists can really make an impact. We’ve always had a popular immunization program—a lot of people in the community go to their pharmacy to get shots, whether that be flu, pneumonia, or shingles—so people always look to us for their vaccine needs.
When the COVID-19 vaccine came out in December 2020, we had to really beef up our vaccination strategies. We had to make a lot of new policies and procedures around the vaccine, especially considering it was under emergency use. Once the vaccine became readily available in early 2021, we were inundated and completely overwhelmed with demand. That really changed the labor balance, and for the first time at Market Street, we didn’t have enough help to take care of all of the responsibilities and tasks that we had to do—from filling prescriptions and counseling patients, to medication therapy management cases and providing the vaccines. I think community pharmacy across America felt that, too. So here we are a year into that, and we are seeing significant exhaustion and pharmacist burnout as a result.
Coping mechanisms for pharmacist burnout
Throughout all of this, I’ve relied on coping mechanisms I established before the pandemic when, in 2018, I was diagnosed with chronic Epstein-Barr virus. The root cause of my infection is chronic stress—the combination of a high-stress working environment and not prioritizing rest really affected my health. As a result, I needed to change the way I was taking care of myself. I started eating more healthfully and focused on getting exercise and sleep. But I also found ways to turn off that stress response that was physiologically happening in my body. I created three “anchors” during the day to hit reset: In the morning, midday, and evening, I schedule an activity that calms my mind and body. It’s important to do it throughout the day, not just once a day. My anchor schedule is: Prayer and gratitude in the morning, during which I write at least five things I’m grateful for. Then, a walk outside at lunch time (if I’m at work, I just go outside the pharmacy building and walk the sidewalks for 15 minutes). Physically taking myself out of the stress of the workplace for lunchtime has made a huge difference. And in the evening, I enjoy a sauna or a hot bath to unwind. I also try to get at least seven hours of sleep per night. Sleep allows our bodies to detoxify and rest! Studies show sleep deprivation negatively impacts our health.
If I feel my stress levels rising during the day, and it’s not time for one of my scheduled anchors, I will duck into the clinic room for a few minutes and take some deep breaths. I breathe in deeply and slowly for five seconds, hold for five seconds, and breathe out for five seconds. It’s calming for the body and mind. When I’m in a good headspace, I’m more able to help my colleagues who may also be struggling.
How to help your pharmacy team cope with pandemic fatigue
My team has always been close-knit; we call ourselves “pharmily.” During the pandemic, we’ve had this community of coworkers who kept things positive and took care of one another. In situations where we see one person struggling, whether that be because their workload is crazy or they’re just having a bad day, we pick them up by offering words of affirmation and support. We might also put on a fun music playlist to change the vibe. Often, one of the pharmacists will buy lunch for everyone or a Sonic drink or a coffee (we’re lucky we have a Starbucks inside the grocery store we’re in!).
At Market Street, we also have what we call “kudos” cards, and when we see one of the techs or pharmacists go above and beyond, we fill out the card with their name and what they did to provide exceptional service. The card doubles as a store coupon that they can use as a discount on a purchase (it’s usually $2 off).
I also make it a point to thank my techs every night when we close the pharmacy. I’ll say something as simple as, “Thank you for your hard work today” or “I couldn’t have made it without you.” I think that goes a long way in letting them know you see their efforts and recognize them for working hard.
RELATED: How to help your overworked pharmacist
We may still be sprinting for a marathon, but at least we have supportive teammates by our side helping run the race.
