Lived experiences of Filipino occupational therapists amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the East Coast, USA: compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction

Abstract

Background: Occupational therapists and other healthcare workers are characterized as having a higher probability of experiencing work-related stress and mental health issues than other professionals. Moreover, occupational therapists utilize mindful, compassionate care and full empathetic engagement in every clientele that draws from a source of wellness, strength, resilience, and presence. Occupational therapists provide client-centered care and highlight the therapeutic use of self by showing empathy and genuine engagement. This approach often exposes occupational therapists to clients’ experienced trauma during service delivery, leading to other problems for the healthcare practitioner. However, there is limited literature about burnout, compassion fatigue, and other mental health issues experienced by occupational therapists. More so, as accentuated by the past years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives: This study addresses the following research objective, to explore the lived experiences of Filipino occupational therapists working in the East Coast, USA, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Through their lived experiences, we can gain insight into how their experiences shape compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction, which can then be used to attenuate its adverse effects on the well-being of occupational therapists. Materials and methods: Ten Filipino occupational therapists who managed COVID- 19 cases in the East Coast, USA, served as the participants in individual in-depth interviews centered around their experience of COVID-19 patient care. Transcripts served as qualitative data sets and underwent thematic analysis. Results: Three themes emerged from the analysis and include: (1) Professional Experience: Waging War against the Pandemic, (2) Compassion Fatigue, and (3) Compassion Satisfaction. Conclusion: Despite facing conflict, uncertainty, and worry during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Filipino occupational therapists find fulfillment in helping their patients recover and achieve optimal performance in affected occupations. Compassion fatigue themes are adverse effects of COVID-19, heavy workload combined with less manpower, and difficulty separating work and personal life. Compassion satisfaction includes participants’ view of their work as heroic and support from co-workers. This requires occupational therapists to highlight setting boundaries and doing everyday life routines to take a break from work and motivation to provide for themselves and their families. Moreover, this posits a need for healthcare organizations to re-examine strategies to attenuate compassion fatigue and highlight compassion satisfaction.