Regina Temple: The Problems Healthcare Workers Face
Regina Temple says that many healthcare workers have been quitting their jobs. Today, she looks at two of the most prevalent reasons for this.
Burnout
Burnout is a severe form of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion and stress. The constant feeling of being overwhelmed causes it. Workers who feel emotionally drained and unable to keep up with the demands of their jobs and personal lives experience burnout. That said, there are many other causes and symptoms.
According to Regina Temple, while burnout can be present in any job and industry, it is particularly high in healthcare. Working through a pandemic and dealing with the overall stress of caring for others may become overwhelming for many healthcare workers, even those with years of experience.
The nature of caregiving jobs and tasks can take a heavy toll on staff members emotionally and mentally. Along with burnout, nurses may feel a huge amount of stress and trauma as they deal with sickness and death regularly. Healthcare workers want to help patients and residents — however, it can become frustrating if they feel powerless due to their stress.
Many healthcare workers who deal with burnout are also observed to be more susceptible to other mental health issues. When facing many different stressors, healthcare workers might also become emotionally detached or maybe even irritable with patients and colleagues as a result of the burnout, says Regina Temple.
Financial stress and lack of employee benefits are other primary reasons healthcare workers quit. It is easy to imagine how financial stress can negatively impact healthcare workers’ well-being and job performance. And it affects many healthcare workers in the United States.
When the staff deals with emotional exhaustion and financial stress, it’s hard not to bring those feelings into their daily job. Financial burdens may cause healthcare staff to feel less focused and less satisfied with their job, affecting the quality of patient care.
However, instead of increasing salaries, many healthcare facilities have chosen to have sign-on bonuses to attract new nurses, says Regina Temple. In 2021, some of these bonuses ranged from about $5,000 to $10,000. However, salaries in some states, like Texas, decreased by 5% within the last year. Moreover, many permanent staff members feel more financial competition with other staff, especially those with much higher rates.
According to Regina Temple, these compensation differences can cause major dissatisfaction, another factor leading to healthcare workers leaving their jobs.
Healthcare workers also seek better job benefits that incentivize staying in their positions despite grueling conditions. These benefits may include paternal leave policies, job security, and more paid time off.
All the reduced salaries, benefits, canceled raises, and longer hours have been the bane of many healthcare workers, who feel undervalued and ultimately seek employment in other industries.
Regina Temple has served in the healthcare community for over 30 years. She has served as an Examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2006 and 2010, deployed Quint Studer’s evidence-based leadership model across multiple hospital settings, and completed Lean Facilitator training in 2012. Read similar articles by visiting this page.