Professor Damien Ridge, Professor of Health Studies, wrote an article for The Conversation about burnout in healthcare workers and how this can make it difficult for them to empathise with patients.
In the article, he discussed what empathy means and its importance in life, writing: “Empathy is being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, or being able to sense the emotions of the other person, and convey that understanding to them. While undoubtedly important for many aspects of life, being empathetic is especially useful for those working in healthcare.”
He added: “Empathy helps ensure people receive the best quality healthcare, helps patients from all backgrounds and cultures receive care that works best for them, and helps patients feel safe about their healthcare procedures. But all too often, those working in healthcare can become burnt out – which may have a serious impact on their ability to relate to, and be empathetic, with patients.”
Discussing the problems of burnout, he later added: “These sorts of problems in care can also contribute to burnout, which is common in healthcare workers. Symptoms of burnout can include exhaustion, detachment, cynicism and a reduced sense of achievement, all of which makes quality patient care more difficult.”
Read the full article on The Conversation’s website.
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