Self-care is a necessity not only for healthcare workers themselves but also for the safety of the patients they serve and the quality of care they provide, according to the Spanish Society of Medical Radiology (SERAM).
SERAM cited a recent study published in Radiología, which found that one in three radiologists in Spain suffers from burnout. Other studies have linked an increase in adverse events, team conflict, and discrepancies in quality with burnout.
With the additional burden of increased workload and staff shortages increasing the risk of burnout, self-care initiatives are key to safe and effective care for patients, SERAM added.
Burnout is a leading cause of absenteeism, as well as “presenteeism,” in which an individual is at work in poor mental or physical condition. The calculated cost of "presenteeism" is three to five times higher than that of absenteeism, according to the society.
"Fatigue reduces attention span by up to 30%, increases the risk of diagnostic errors, and compromises patient safety," said spokesperson Dr. Almudena Pérez.
“Self-care goes far beyond sleeping or eating properly,” Pérez explained. “It involves managing stress, setting boundaries between work and personal life, nurturing social relationships, and protecting oneself from specific workplace hazards.”
The specific hazards radiologists face in the workplace include exposure to ionizing radiation, eye strain from prolonged screen use, excessive workload, and musculoskeletal problems due to poor ergonomics, Pérez added.
SERAM recommended that radiology professionals set simple, realistic, progressive, and sustainable self-care goals both individually and as a team, such as adequate sleep, incorporating exercise and relaxation routines, improved workstation ergonomics, and respecting workday breaks.
Education and peer support have been identified as strategies that prevent burnout, the commission underscored, adding that humanizing healthcare requires “first humanizing the conditions of those who provide it.”
