Improving occupational safety standards to address mental health and burnout in healthcare workers

Healthcare staff face constant pressure to provide the best care possible in an industry with multiple stressors that can be detrimental to the physical, mental, and emotional health of practitioners. Broader data reveal that mental health challenges — burnout, depression, anxiety — have spread like wildfire through the health care workforce. Specifically, burnout represents significant challenges for the human resources of healthcare itself, as they directly affect those on the frontline of patient care. In this article, we examine the need to strengthen occupational safety standards to tackles mental health and burnout problems among healthcare workers. It emphasizes the significance of QHSE (Quality, Health, Safety, and Environmental) policies and HSE (Health, Safety, and Environmental) plans in addressing these issues. By making systemic adjustments — in the form of policy changes, support programs and a positive work environment — healthcare organizations can help keep their own mental and physical health in check.