How Pharmacy Technician Burnout Impacts Patient Care

Occupational fatigue among pharmacy technicians poses serious risks at multiple levels: individual, patient, and organizational. At the technician level, chronic fatigue contributes to poor well-being, safety risks, and long-term burnout. Burnout, distinct from fatigue, is a state of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment caused by sustained mismatch between job demands and personal resources. These conditions can lead to increased stress, sleep disturbances, worsening chronic health conditions, and even risks such as drowsy driving and on-the-job injuries like needlestick incidents.

At the patient level, technician fatigue may impact safety and quality of care. Though not yet thoroughly studied in pharmacy, evidence from other healthcare settings suggests fatigue can reduce reaction time, increase clinical errors, and impair patient communication—especially during long shifts. A rushed interaction at the end of a 12-hour day can look very different than one at the beginning.

Organizationally, unchecked fatigue contributes to decreased efficiency, higher turnover, and overall reduced care quality. Each of these levels is interconnected, reinforcing the urgent need to prioritize technician well-being. By addressing occupational fatigue, organizations not only protect their workforce but also enhance patient safety and care delivery across the system.

Drug Topics recently sat down with Taylor Watterson, PharmD, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Illinois Chicago Retzky College of Pharmacy, to discuss how distress experienced by pharmacy technicians can impact the overall safety and quality of pharmacy operations. Watterson was an author on a recent study published in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, which investigated the well-being of community pharmacy technicians.¹

References

1. Fick G, Osei J, Kim S, et al. A narrative literature review: Community pharmacy technician well-being and its implications. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2025 May 9:102419. doi: 10.1016/j.japh.2025.102419. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40349976.