Identifying the sources and impacts of caregiver fatigue and burnout among mental health caregivers: A qualitative approach

Abstract

Introduction: To identify work-related issues to assist mental health caregivers in identifying sources and effects of caregiver burnout; to establish a dialogue between the participants and identified sources of stress in the workplace to address identified problems; and to make recommendations to local area health services to prevent and manage stressors in a mental health caregiver practice. The proposed study will help the sector by pinpointing the causes of caregiver burnout and burnout in the mental health caregiving profession and offering solutions to those causes. Method: 20 experienced registered caregivers working as mental health caregivers were recruited using the snowball method, and convenience sampling was used to target study participants interested in finding reasons for caregiver burnout and burnout at work. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, in which questions about relative impact are used to help clients focus on factors outside themselves to solve problems. Results: Emotional stress and burnout are the overarching themes of studies conducted on the effects of burnout on mental health caregivers in various settings: job insecurity and labor casualization; problems with management and systems; challenges with the nature of work; inadequate resources and services; problems with other health care; aggressive and criminal consumers; and belittling consumers and caregivers. Conclusion: The physical and emotional constraints of work all contribute to mental health caregivers’ experiences of caregiver burnout. Employees’ ability to deal with and respond to pressure in the workplace has been shown to be negatively affected by stress.