Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Assessing job satisfaction and stress among pharmacists in Northern Ireland

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Pharmacy World & Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective and Setting The pharmacy profession in Northern Ireland (NI) is currently experiencing major changes in practice development. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of job satisfaction and stress in pharmacists in NI in the context of these changes. Method A questionnaire was adapted from one previously used in the United States (US). Following minor amendments and piloting, the survey was distributed by mail on two occasions (January/February 2007) to all registered community and hospital pharmacists in NI (n = 1,965). Data were entered into SPSS (version 15) and analysed using descriptive statistics, t-test and regression analysis. The significance level was set at P < 0.05. Results The overall response rate was 39% (n = 766). Of the potentially highest stress score of 165, overall mean scores were significantly higher for community than hospital pharmacists (P < 0.05). Both groups found interruptions, excessive workload, and inadequate staffing to be the most stressful aspects of their employment. Just over 30% (n = 178) of community pharmacists and half of all hospital pharmacists cited feeling often or frequently stressed because of imminent changes in contractual or organisational arrangements. Regression analysis indicated that sector of work (community or hospital) appeared to account for differences in self-reported stress. Conclusion Any developments in professional practice need to be considered in the context of the well-being of the health professionals who implement, and are affected by, the changes. Unless stress in pharmacy is recognised and reduced, pharmacists and patients may be at risk.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. McEwen B. Stressed or stressed out: what is the difference? J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2005;30:315–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Michie S. Causes and management of stress at work. Occup Environ Med. 2002;59:67–72. doi:10.1136/oem.59.1.67.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Clegg SR, Hardy C, Nord WR. Handbook of organisation studies. London: Sage; 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Price JL. Reflections on the determinants of voluntary turnover. Int J Manage. 2001;22:600–24.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Marine A, Ruotsalainen J, Serra C, Verbeek J (2006) Preventing occupational stress in healthcare workers. Coch Database of System Reviews; Issue 4: Art. No.: CD002892. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD002892.pub2.

  6. Felton JS. Burnout as a clinical entity—its importance in health care workers. Occup Med. 2000;48:237–50. doi:10.1093/occmed/48.4.237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Firth-Cozens J, Payne R. Stress in health professionals. Chichester: Wiley; 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  8. McNeely E. The consequences of job stress for nurses’ health: time for a check-up. Nurs Outlook. 2005;53:291–9. doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2005.10.001.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. Stress: It’s not just patients who get stressed…Leaflet produced by the Benevolent Fund (2006).

  10. Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (2006) Code of ethics and standards http://www.rpsgb.org/pdfs/coe. Accessed 11 May 2007.

  11. Lapane KL, Hughes CM. Baseline job satisfaction and stress among pharmacists and pharmacy technicians participating in the Fleetwood Phase III study. Consult Pharm. 2004;19:1029–37.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Wolfgang AP, Perri M, Wolfgang CF. Job-related stress experienced by hospital pharmacists and nurses. Am J Hosp Pharm. 1988;45:1342–5.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Boardman H, Blenkinsopp A, Jesson J, Wilson K. A pharmacy workforce survey in the West Midlands: (4) Morale and motivation. Pharm J. 2001;267:685–90.

    Google Scholar 

  14. National Health Service (2007) http://www.nhsemployers.org/pay-conditions/agenda-for-change. Accessed 12 May 2007.

  15. Fitzpatrick R. Reflecting on 2006—a year of change for hospital pharmacy. Hosp Pharm. 2006;13:386.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Wolfgang AP. The health professions stress inventory. Psychol Rep. 1988;62:220–2.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Dowell AC, Westcott T, McLeod DK, Hamilton S. A survey of job satisfaction, sources of stress and psychological symptoms among New Zealand health professionals. N Z Med J. 2001;114:540–3.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. De Vogli R, Ferrie J, Chandola T, Kivimäki M, Marmot M. Unfairness and health: evidence from the Whitehall II Study. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2007;61:513–8. doi:10.1136/jech.2006.052563.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Kahneman D, Knetsch JL, Thaler RH. Fairness and the assumptions of economics. J Bus. 1986;59(4):S285–300. doi:10.1086/296367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Marmot M. Status syndrome: how your social standing directly affects your health and life expectancy. London: Bloomsbury; 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Wilkinson R. The impact of inequality: how to make sick societies healthier. New York: The New Press; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Mott DA, Doucette WR, Gaither CA, Pedersen CA, Schommer JC. Pharmacists’ attitudes toward worklife: results from a national survey of pharmacists. J Am Pharm Assoc. 2004;44:326–36. doi:10.1331/154434504323063968.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Penna S, Paylor I, Soothill K (1995) Job satisfaction and dissatisfaction amongst residential care workers. Social Care Research, Issue 69. Joseph Rowntree Foundation. www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/socialcare/SC69.asp. Accessed 19 Sep 2008.

  24. Cooper CL, Sutherland VJ. Job stress, satisfaction, and mental health among general practitioners before and after introduction of new contract. BMJ. 1992;304:1545–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Humphris GM, Cooper CL. New stressors for GDPs in the past ten years: a qualitative study. Br Dent J. 1998;185:404–6. doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.4809826.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. British Medical Association (BMA) (2000) Work-related stress among senior doctors. http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/Workrelatedstresssenior. Accessed 29 Jan 2008.

  27. Rothman S, Malan M. Occupational stress of hospital pharmacists in South Africa. Int J Pharm Pract. 2007;15:235–42. doi:10.1211/ijpp.15.3.0011.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Michie S, Williams S. Reducing work related psychological ill health and sickness absence: a systematic literature review. Occup Environ Med. 2003;60:3–9. doi:10.1136/oem.60.1.3.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Ortmeier BG, Wolfgang AP. Career commitment, career plans, and job-related stress: a follow-up study of pharmacy students as pharmacists. Am J Pharm Educ. 1993;57:25–8.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Gupchup GV, Wolfgang AP. The health professions stress inventory: factor structures for pharmacists. Percept Mot Skills. 1994;79:515–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Fowler J. Survey research methods. 3rd ed. London: Sage; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank all pharmacists who took time to respond to the questionnaire.

Funding:

This study was funded under a studentship provided to Laura McCann from the Northern Ireland Centre for Pharmacy Learning and Development.

Conflicts of interest:

None declared.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK

    Laura McCann & Carmel M. Hughes

  2. Northern Ireland Centre for Pharmacy Learning and Development, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK

    Colin G. Adair

  3. School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen’s University Belfast, Mulhouse, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, BT12 6BJ, UK

    Chris Cardwell

Authors
  1. Laura McCann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Carmel M. Hughes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Colin G. Adair
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Chris Cardwell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carmel M. Hughes.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

McCann, L., Hughes, C.M., Adair, C.G. et al. Assessing job satisfaction and stress among pharmacists in Northern Ireland. Pharm World Sci 31, 188–194 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-008-9277-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-008-9277-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation