How do female healthcare staff experience the menopause transition in the workplace? A critical meta-synthesis

OBJECTIVE: To provide a conceptual overview of how female healthcare staff experience menopause transition in the workplace via a critical interpretive meta-synthesis. METHOD: Search strategy - Seven electronic databases were searched systematically using keywords and subject headings within the core review concepts of menopause, healthcare staff and workplace. Inclusion criteria - Primary, qualitative research published in English reporting on healthcare staff experiences of the menopause transition. Data extraction and synthesis - Data were extracted from seven eligible papers with constructs extracted and synthesised via reciprocal translational analysis. RESULTS: Three interrelated themes were identified: Distress in the workplace; Fear of judgement; and Pressure to perform. CONCLUSIONS: Menopause significantly affects female healthcare workers' wellbeing and performance, and appears to be worsened by stigma, lack of support and gender dynamics. Systemic changes, including more organisational awareness, appear warranted to enhance and sustain female employees at work.