Abstract
Orientation: Hospital pharmacists in South Africa are experiencing increased stress because of the high demand for their services, a lack of resources in hospital pharmacies, and the shortage of pharmacists in South Africa.Research purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate whether job stress and coping strategies could predict the work-related well-being (burnout and work engagement) of hospital pharmacists in South Africa.Motivation for the study: Information about the work-related well-being and coping strategies of hospital pharmacists could be used to plan individual and organisational interventions which can be used to retain them and to manage their well-being and performance.Research design, approach and method: A survey design was used. A stratified random sample (N = 187) of pharmacists in South African hospitals was studied. The Maslach Burnout Inventory – Human Services Survey, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Pharmacist Stress Inventory and the COPE questionnaire were administered.Main findings: The results showed that job related stress and three coping strategies (approach coping, avoidant coping, and turning to religion) predicted burnout and work engagement of South African hospital pharmacists.Practical implications: Job stressors that are in the main responsible for the unfavourable work environment and that lead to the development of burnout amongst hospital pharmacists should be addressed. It is also important to enhance the coping capabilities of the hospital pharmacists.Contribution/value-add: The findings of this study provide insight into the factors impacting on the work-related well-being of hospital pharmacists in South Africa.
Highlights
Pharmacists have to cope with the demands that arise from fulfilling various roles, as well as with increased pressures such as managed health care and primary health care
The objectives of this study were to investigate whether jobrelated stress and coping strategies predict the work-related well-being of hospital pharmacists in South Africa
The results showed that jobrelated stress, as well as three coping strategies contributed to various aspects of the work-related well-being of South African hospital pharmacists
Summary
Pharmacists have to cope with the demands that arise from fulfilling various roles, as well as with increased pressures such as managed health care and primary health care. The work-related well-being of pharmacists can be studied in terms of negative outcomes (e.g. distress) and positive outcomes (e.g. eustress; see Nelson & Simmons, 2003). Distress is defined as a negative psychological response to a stressor, as indicated by the presence of negative psychological states (e.g. exhaustion and depersonalisation). Eustress refers to a positive psychological response to a stressor as indicated by the presence of positive psychological states (e.g. vigour and dedication; Nelson & Simmons, 2003). Pharmacists are responsible for handling both the increased demand for prescription medication and the need for clinical pharmacy services (Rothmann & Malan, 2007). Unless the stress that pharmacists experience as a result of their profession is reduced, their work may be endangering their physical and mental health, and compromise patient safety. Job-related stress might lead to burnout and low work engagement, which could result in high staff turnover (Cavanaugh, 1989; Mott, Doucette, Gaither, Pedersen & Schommer, 2004)
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