Abstract

BackgroundFor oncology nurses, compassion fatigue, burn out and compassion satisfactions are frequently experienced psychosocial consequences of the oncology work environment. Surveying such phenomena helps to understand how nurses feel and behave when cancer care is provided. Besides, tracking the evolving nature of those three concepts can lend a hand for the early detection of personal and professional suffering of nurses while offering some healing remedies to their struggling bodies and souls.PurposeThe purpose of this study was to explore the level of compassion fatigue, burn out and compassion satisfaction among a group of specialized oncology nurses. Besides, this study aimed to detect some probable interesting inferences between compassion satisfaction and the concept of rest and leisure. Correlations between compassion fatigue, burn out and compassion satisfaction were investigated. Correlations between oncology nurses’ scores on the three subscales and a group of demographic, organizational and leisure-related variables were examined.MethodsThis study adopted a descriptive correlation design to survey compassion fatigue, burn out and compassion satisfaction among a convenient sample of 100 oncology nurses who work in a specialized cancer care centre. Participants completed compassion fatigue self-test developed by Figely (Compassion fatigue, New York: Brunner/Mazel. B. HudnallStamm, Traumatic Stress Research Group; 1995–1998. http://www.dartmouth.edu/~bhstamm/index.htm, 1995) and a literature-based demographic survey. Analysis of data included descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation co-efficient.ResultsNurses reported a low level of compassion satisfaction, moderate risk for burn out and an extremely high risk for compassion fatigue. Results revealed significant negative relationships among compassion satisfaction and the number of dependents per nurse. Additionally the correlation between compassion satisfaction and the nurses’ number of hours slept was positive. Only two components of the concept rest and leisure yielded statistical significance when correlated to the concept of compassion satisfaction. A significant negative relationship was observed between compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue while a strong positive relationship was observed between compassion fatigue and burn out.ConclusionsThe studied oncology nurses sample had evidently low level of compassion satisfaction when contrasted to the significantly increased risks of burn out and compassion fatigue. Thus, health authorities and management are advised to care, in a holistic approach, for nurses who work in oncology departments. Staff-oriented services that offer comfort, reward, leisure, screening, consultation and support are urgently recommended.

Highlights

  • For oncology nurses, compassion fatigue, burn out and compassion satisfactions are frequently experienced psychosocial consequences of the oncology work environment

  • Nurses reported a low level of compassion satisfaction, moderate risk for burn out and an extremely high risk for compassion fatigue

  • Two components of the concept rest and leisure yielded statistical significance when correlated to the concept of compassion satisfaction

Read more

Summary

Introduction

Compassion fatigue, burn out and compassion satisfactions are frequently experienced psychosocial consequences of the oncology work environment. Surveying such phenomena helps to understand how nurses feel and behave when cancer care is provided. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the level of compassion fatigue, burn out and compassion satisfaction among a group of specialized oncology nurses. Compassion fatigue (CF) is a work-related psychosocial consequence which may occur as a result of exposure to a cumulative level of trauma and is emotionally induced by dealing with those who have been traumatized [3]. A different, though related concept is compassion satisfaction (CS) which is the pleasant feeling derived from lending a hand to others through life’s traumatic situations [5]

Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call