Job demands and resources shape burnout and well-being at work among hospital pharmacists in a national PLS-SEM study

Hospital pharmacists play a key role in patient safety, but their occupational health has been less studied than that of other healthcare professionals. This study assessed burnout and well-being at work among hospital pharmacists and examined their associations via the job demands-resources model. A national online survey was conducted between April and June 2022.

The questionnaire assessed job demands, job resources, burnout and workplace well-being. The sample included 994 pharmacists (mean age = 44.3 years, 79.3% women). Overall, 32% of the participants reported high or very high levels of burnout symptoms, whereas mean well-being remained relatively high.

Structural equation modeling indicated that job demands were more strongly associated with burnout (β = 0.627), whereas job resources were more strongly associated with workplace well-being (β = 0.628). The interaction between job demands and job resources was significant but small for burnout (β = − 0.061, p = 0.004, f2 = 0.01), suggesting limited support for a buffering role of job resources. No moderating effect was observed for workplace well-being, providing no support for the boost hypothesis.

Overall, the findings support distinct pathways to burnout and well-being. Interventions should focus on increasing job resources to mitigate the effects of excessive job demands and on reducing workload, particularly to limit work-family conflict. Univ Rennes, LP3C (Psychology Laboratory: Cognition, Behavior, Communication), 35000, Rennes, France Hospital Pharmacist, Moulins-Yzeure Hospital, Moulins, France LaPEA, Université Paris Cité and Univ.

Gustave Eiffel, 92100, Boulogne-Billancourt, France The authors declare no competing interests. The researchers confirms that this study was conducted in accordance with the principles of Declaration of Helsinki, relevant guidelines applicable when human participants are involved. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Rennes 2, with the approval number #2022-008.

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