Burning the candle at both ends: Combatting occupational burnout in Canada's health care system

Canada is facing a growing and substantial shortage of healthcare workers. One of the main factors contributing to this shortage is the prevalence of occupational burnout amongst health care workers, causing many to depart their positions within the field. This burnout is affecting not only the mental and physical health of workers, but also quality of care and patient outcomes, leading to additional costs for the healthcare system. Addressing burnout is crucial to tackling the worker shortage, but there is a lack of coordinated policy action in Canada. This study analyzes national survey data to examine potential predictors of occupational burnout amongst health care workers as well as variables that can reduce one's likelihood of experiencing the phenomenon. The findings from the analysis are used to develop a series of policy recommendations aimed at reducing burnout among health care workers.