Decrease Compassion Fatigue Research Articles

The impact of the nursing work environment on compassion fatigue: The mediating role of general self-efficacy.

To explore the interplay between the perceived nursing work environment, general self-efficacy, and compassion fatigue among registered nurses in Chinese hospitals. Compassion fatigue emerges as a significant occupational stress response globally, with the nursing work environment being a pivotal influencer. There is a knowledge gap in understanding how the nursing work environment and general self-efficacy interrelate to affect compassion fatigue, particularly among Chinese nurses. Employing a cross-sectional, descriptive design, this study utilized validated questionnaires to gather data from 7085 nurses across public and private hospitals in China. The analysis focused on assessing the interrelations among the perceived nursing work environment, general self-efficacy, and different dimensions of compassion fatigue. More than half (65.67%) of the participants experienced moderate or high burnout levels, with 76.43% experiencing secondary traumatic stress. The lowest rating in the nursing work environment was for nurse/physician collaboration (10±2.07), while general self-efficacy scored higher (27.54±6.26). A positive relationship existed between the work environment and both general self-efficacy and compassion satisfaction, with a negative correlation to burnout and traumatic stress. General self-efficacy was a partial mediator in the link between work environment and compassion fatigue, suggesting that improving the work environment can decrease compassion fatigue by boosting nurses' self-efficacy. This study underscores the profound impact of the nursing work environment on compassion fatigue, mediated by general self-efficacy. It highlights the necessity of fostering a supportive work environment to enhance nurses' self-efficacy and overall well-being. Healthcare managers and institutions must create supportive work environments to reduce compassion fatigue among nurses. This includes professional development programs to enhance self-efficacy and job satisfaction. Policies should address high workloads and inadequate support. Nurse leaders should foster environments that promote psychological well-being, improving outcomes for both nurses and patients. Regular assessments and adjustments of work conditions are essential to maintain a healthy work environment.

Nurses' Self-Compassion and Professional Quality of Life During COVID-19 Pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Background: Self-compassion enables nurses to understand, know, and love themselves when faced with challenges, specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will decrease compassion fatigue and raises compassion satisfaction. Purpose: This study aimed to test how nurses’ self-compassion related to their professional quality of life (compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. Methods: This was a quantitative correlational study which recruited 234 nurses from all over Indonesia using convenience sampling technique. To collect data, an online survey was administered. Descriptive statistics and the Spearman rank test were used to analyze the collected data. Results: Self-compassion and compassion satisfaction have been found to have significant relationships (p=0.718), likewise self-compassion and burnout (p=0.726), and self-compassion and secondary traumatic stress (p=0.516). Conclusions: Self-compassion increases compassion satisfaction. When nurses care for themselves, compassion fatigue (burnout and secondary traumatic stress) will be reduced, and vice versa. Self-awareness is required for nurses to cultivate self-compassion by focusing on and accepting each live event without regret.

Compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction among Chinese palliative care nurses: A province-wide cross-sectional survey.

We aim to explore the prevalence and potential facilitators and inhibitors of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction among Chinese palliative care nurses. Nurses with compassion fatigue may suffer from health-related problems, causing decreased work efficiency and quality of care. Palliative care nurses are especially at risk of compassion fatigue due to close contact with terminal patients. A province-wide cross-sectional survey using convenience sampling was conducted among 318 palliative care nurses at 25 hospitals and healthcare institutions in Sichuan Province, China. Data were collected using demographic questionnaire and five scales: Professional Quality of Life Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Perceived Social Support Scale, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and Connor-Davison Resilience Scale. Data analyses including descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, simple linear regression, and multiple linear regression. Mean scores (SD) for burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction were 25.42 (4.75), 26.08 (5.72), and 35.67 (5.77), respectively. Related factors predicted 40.30%, 27.10%, and 35.4% of the variance in the model of burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction, respectively (all p < .001). The levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress among Chinese palliative care nurses were higher than those among other types of nurses. Social support, resilience, positive coping, family recognition of work, and income satisfaction are inhibitors of compassion fatigue among palliative care nurses. Nursing administrators and educators should consider providing effective and targeted strategies (e.g. ongoing training and psychological interventions) to decrease compassion fatigue among palliative care nurses based on the cultural and ethical settings.

SWK-08. Implementing awareness practice in Neuro-Oncology

Awareness practices are mind-body medicine techniques that help quiet the chatter of worry, fear, or the "to-do list" in the mind and allows the individual to experience calm and focus. Neuro-Oncology families undergo a variety of stressors that increase the "mind chatter" once their child is diagnosed with a brain tumor. These families not only have to manage the day-to-day tasks of family life, but they are thrust into a world of uncertainty which often can breed anxiety. To help mitigate the stress and anxiety that Neuro-Oncology families undergo, sessions focusing on awareness practices were offered to parent caregivers once a week for 15-20 minutes via the Zoom platform. The goal of these sessions was to offer respite from mental and emotional challenges brought on by the cancer diagnosis and the COVID 19 pandemic. Separate sessions were also offered to Oncology nurse case managers to help decrease compassion fatigue as these nurses also walk alongside oncology families through the cancer journey providing advocacy and patient/family support. Breath awareness, imagery, and meditation practices were used during the sessions to activate the body's relaxation response to allow for rest and restoration.

Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Supporting the Health and Well-being of Nurses.

Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Supporting the Health and Well-being of Nurses.

Self-Oriented Empathy and Compassion Fatigue: The Serial Mediation of Dispositional Mindfulness and Counselor's Self-Efficacy.

This study aimed to explore the association between self-oriented empathy and compassion fatigue, and examine the potential mediating roles of dispositional mindfulness and the counselor’s self-efficacy. A total of 712 hotline psychological counselors were recruited from the Mental Health Service Platform at Central China Normal University, Ministry of Education during the outbreak of Corona Virus Disease 2019, then were asked to complete the questionnaires measuring self-oriented empathy, compassion fatigue, dispositional mindfulness, and counselor’s self-efficacy. Structural equation modeling was utilized to analyze the possible associations and explore potential mediations. In addition to reporting confidence intervals (CI), we employed a new method named model-based constrained optimization procedure to test hypotheses of indirect effects. Results showed that self-oriented empathy was positively associated with compassion fatigue. Dispositional mindfulness and counselor’s self-efficacy independently and serially mediated the associations between self-oriented empathy and compassion fatigue. The findings of this study confirmed and complemented the etiological and the multi-factor model of compassion fatigue. Moreover, the results indicate that it is useful and necessary to add some training for increasing counselor’s self-efficacy in mindfulness-based interventions in order to decrease compassion fatigue.

Promotion of professional quality of life through reducing fears of compassion and compassion fatigue: Application of the Compassionate Mind Model to Specialist Community Public Health Nurses (Health Visiting) training.

To identify whether a Compassionate Mind Model-based curriculum reduces students' perceived fears of compassion and improves their professional well-being. Enabling compassion is mandatory within nurse education but evidencing it is challenging. Research suggests that application of the Compassionate Mind Model might reduce students' fears of compassion and also decrease compassion fatigue. This study reports outcomes of a post-registration curriculum based on that model for training Specialist Community Public Health Nurses (Health Visiting). A quantitative, prospective evaluation of a 12-month training course for Health Visiting students. Reporting was guided by the STROBE checklist for observational studies. Fears of compassion scales were applied at course start (time 1), mid-point (time 2; +6months) and end (time 3; +12months) to evaluate fears of compassion of 26 post-registration student Health Visitors (81% of course cohort) who provided data at all three points. The Professional Quality of Life tool was administered simultaneously to evaluate compassion satisfaction and burnout/secondary traumatic stress (compassion fatigue). Between time 1 and time 3, mean fears of compassion scores decreased by 16.6-48.5% (repeated measures analysis of variance); mid-point scores were intermediary. At time 3, compassion satisfaction had increased slightly (+4.1%), negatively correlated with fears of compassion for self (r=-0.602; p=.001; n=26) and fears of receiving compassion from others (r=-0.568; p=.002; n=26). Burnout score decreased by 18.7%, correlated positively with fear of compassion for self (r=0.493; p=.011; n=26) and fear of receiving compassion from others (r=0.615; p=.001; n=26). Secondary traumatic stress score decreased by 16.5% but was not correlated with any fear of compassion. Findings suggest that application of the Compassionate Mind Model might reduce practitioners' fears of compassion linked to a decrease in risk of compassion fatigue. The Compassionate Mind Model could provide an effective vehicle to promote compassion and nurse well-being.

Incorporating holism in nursing education through the Integrative Student Growth Model (ISGM)

The concept of holism is threaded throughout nursing. Holistic nursing practice has emerged as a prevalent concept in the provision of quality nursing care, calling nurses to focus on the whole person. Holistic self-care has been said to prevent burn-out, decrease compassion fatigue, and promote workplace civility. However, strategies for teaching holism in nursing education are lacking. The Integrative Student Growth Model (ISGM) offers an innovative, systems-based model for nurse educators to teach abstract values integral to professional nursing practice such as caring, holism, inclusiveness, integrity and excellence. This article discusses one aspect of the Integrative Student Growth Model, holism, which can be integrated at three defined levels present in all nursing programs. The authors propose a conceptual definition of holistic nursing education and suggest strategies for creating a holistic academic environment at each of the three levels. Finally, recommendations for future inquiry are explored as a means to test the model and the potential impact on student learning outcomes, and subsequently, patient outcomes.

Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue, and Burnout: A Replication Study with Victim Advocates

Past research has investigated the rates of compassion satisfaction (CS), compassion fatigue (CF), and burnout within health-care providers. Findings indicate higher levels of CS and lower levels of CF predict lower rates of burnout. The current study extended prior research by replicating past research findings, but with victim advocates. This study enrolled a national sample of 142 victim advocates. A hierarchal linear regression was run to test the research questions. In level 1, years of experience was not significant and only accounted for 1.1% of the variance in burnout. When adding CS, the model became significant (p < .001) and CS accounted for an additional 51.8% of the variance. When CF was added to the final model, it was significant (p < .001), and accounted for an additional 19.3% of the variance. When comparing the findings to past studies, our findings were similar; however, our study did find that CS and CF accounted for significantly more variance than past studies with health-care providers. Therefore, CS and CF might be greater predictors of burnout in victim advocates than in health-care providers. Future studies should aim to create interventions to increase CS and decrease CF, to reduce burnout.

Evaluation of a Meditation Intervention to Reduce the Effects of Stressors Associated With Compassion Fatigue Among Nurses.

This pilot study evaluated whether short (less than 10 minutes) structured meditations decrease compassion fatigue and improve compassion satisfaction in oncology nurses. A nonrandomized, pre-post intervention study. Participants used specific meditations designed to establish a sense of calm, relaxation, and self-compassion 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Meditations were provided on an audio-CD after brief individual instruction. The Professional Quality of Life Survey, Version 5, was administered pre and post intervention along with supplementary questions. Fifteen nurses participated in the study over a 6-month period in 2014. Paired t test revealed that the intervention demonstrated a statistically significant increase in Compassion Satisfaction scores (mean difference = -2.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [-4.98, -0.36], t[14] = -2.48, p = .027, d = 0.63) and decreases in Burnout (mean difference = 4.13, 95% CI = [1.66, 6.60], t[14] = 3.581, p = .003, d = 0.92) and Secondary Trauma (mean difference = 3.00, 95% CI = [0.40, 5.96], t[14] = 2.174, p = .047, d = 0.56) scores. All participants reported increased feelings of relaxation and well-being on supplemental questions. Even in this small sample, the practice of short breathing and meditation exercises was effective in improving nurse outcomes. A larger study is warranted including tracking sustained effects relative to maintaining a meditation practice.

노인장기요양 인정조사원의 의사소통능력, 공감만족 및 공감피로가 소진에 미치는 영향

Purpose: This study was a descriptive research to identify the effects of communication skills, compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue on burnout among staff of long term care insurance for the elderly in National Health Insurance Services in Korea. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. The participants were 191 staffs of long-term care insurance in National Health Insurance Services. Data were collected via mail from the 24 branch offices which were randomly selected among the total of 226 centers of National Health Insurance Corporation. Stamm's professional quality of life (ProQOL) and Communication Skills Test tool were included in questionnaire to detect. SPSS/WIN 20.0 was used to conduct the descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, correlation analysis, and multiple regression. Results: Compassion fatigue had a significant positive effect on burnout, while Compassion satisfaction had a negative effect on burnout. The explained variance for burnout was 69% and compassion fatigue was the most significant factor in burnout among staff of long term care insurance services. Conclusion: The results indicate that the factors influencing staffs' burnout are compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and education level. Therefore, strategies to decrease compassion fatigue and improve compassion satisfaction are needed to decrease burnout for staffs of long-term care insurance in National Health Insurance Services.

Yoga and Mindfulness Program: The Effects on Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction in Social Workers

This article is reporting the effectiveness of a yoga and mindfulness program to decrease compassion fatigue and to increase compassion satisfaction in currently employed social workers by using a quasi-experimental design. Additionally, the qualitative arm of this study evaluated the social workers’ perception of their professional relationship with their clients. Eleven social workers participated in the study, with six in the control group and five in the experiment group. Quantitative results were gained by utilizing the ProQOL Version 5 that measures the levels of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. These results suggest that participation in a brief yoga and mindfulness program may halt the decrease of compassion satisfaction. The qualitative results provide a rich insight into the perceptions of the professional relationship that the social workers have with clients that they identified as being difficult to work with. These results suggest that participation in a yoga and mindfulness program will improve these perceptions.

Effects of Nursing Practice Environment, Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction on Burnout in Clinical Nurses

Purpose: The purposes of this study was to identify the effects of nursing practice environment, compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction on burnout in clinical nurses. Methods: Participants selected for the final analysis were 208 nurses working in 2 general hospitals in Busan and Masan. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation and Hierarchial Multiple Regression with SPSS/WIN 18.0. Results: Compassion fatigue had a significant positive effect on burnout, while Compassion satisfaction had a negative effect on burnout, but Nursing practice environment had no effect on burnout. The explained variance for burnout was 61% and compassion satisfaction was the most significant factor in burnout of nurses. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that to reduce burnout in clinical nurses it is necessary to develop programs to increase nurses' compassion satisfaction and decrease compassion fatigue.

Meaningfulness, appropriateness and effectiveness of structured interventions by nurse leaders to decrease compassion fatigue in healthcare providers, to be applied in acute care oncology settings: a systematic review protocol

Review question/objective The specific review question is: In the acute care oncology setting, can structured interventions implemented by nurse leaders decrease compassion fatigue among healthcare providers? More specifically, the objectives are to identify: the effectiveness of structured interventions by nurse leaders to decrease compassion fatigue in healthcare providers in acute care oncology settings. The quantitative objective is to identify the effectiveness of structured interventions on compassion fatigue. The qualitative objectives are to identify the meaningfulness and appropriateness of structured interventions on compassion fatigue. Inclusion criteria Types of participants The quantitative component of this review will consider studies that identify changes in outcomes in healthcare providers in the acute care oncology setting, as the result of applied structured interventions to decrease compassion fatigue. The qualitative component of this review will consider studies that assess the experiences of healthcare providers in the acute care oncology setting that identify changes in outcomes as the result of applied structured interventions to decrease compassion fatigue and the appropriateness of these interventions. Types of intervention The quantitative component of the review will consider and compare studies that utilize a compassion fatigue scale to evaluate the effectiveness of structured interventions implemented by nurse leaders to decrease compassion fatigue. Phenomena of interest The qualitative component of this review will consider studies that investigate the meaningfulness and appropriateness of structured interventions by nurse leaders to decrease compassion fatigue among healthcare providers in acute care oncology settings. Types of outcomes This review will consider studies that include the following outcome measures: those identified as directly attributable to structured interventions by nurse leaders for the purpose of decreasing compassion fatigue among healthcare providers in acute care oncology settings. Specific outcomes may include improved patient satisfaction, staff retention, employee engagement, morale, rates of absenteeism, quality, productivity, employee relationships, team concept and organizational cultures.

The Effectiveness of an Educational Program on Preventing and Treating Compassion Fatigue in Emergency Nurses

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the treatment effectiveness of a multifaceted education program to decrease compassion fatigue (CF) and burnout (BO) symptoms and increase compassion satisfaction of emergency nurses participating in the training. The goal of the CF multifaceted intervention program was to demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in the 3 CF subscales: an increase on the Compassion Satisfaction (CS) subscale and a decrease on the Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) and BO subscales in the participants' pretest and posttest scores as measured by The Professional Quality of Life test (B. H. , ). The study sites were 2 emergency departments in Colorado Springs, CO. A convenience sample consisted of emergency nurses who self-selected to participate in the study. Univariate statistics were used, and data were examined for normalcy of distribution. Because these data were not distributed normally, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to evaluate the differences between the baseline and postintervention groups. The multifaceted education program resulted in a statistically significant increase in CS (p = 0.004) and a decrease in BO (p = 0.001 or less) and STS (p = 0.001) symptoms.

Can compassion be taught to lessen the effects of compassion fatigue?

AbstractBackgroundRecent concerns about the lack of compassionate care have led to investigations in the way care is delivered and the need to embed values into the caring system. The idea that healthcare professionals are deficient in compassion and suffer compassion fatigue raises questions around education and practice. It challenges quality healthcare practises and workforce pressures.AimTo explore whether compassion can be taught to decrease compassion fatigue and raise healthcare standards.Data sources and emerging themesA systematic literature review of data from electronic databases: CINHAL, Pubmed/Medline, PsychINFO etc., was undertaken within the parameters of 2000–2012. The inclusion/exclusion criteria retrieved 13 papers and critiquing elicited seven emerging themes. The themes include self-compassion, self-reflection, and emotional intelligence; education, teaching methods, and academic engagement; feeling the suffering of and emotions of patients; the meaning of compassion; work-related stre...

응급실 간호사의 외상 사건 경험과 전문직 삶의 질 및 신체적 증상

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate emergency nurses` reported traumatic events, professional quality of life and physical symptoms. Methods: The design of the study was descriptive. The respondents were 157 Emergency nurses with the majority were women (94.3% female and 5.7% were men). Data were collected from September 28 to December 1, 2011. The professional quality of life (ProQOL) instrument is conceptualized with three sub-dimensions (compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress), in addition information about traumatic events, physical symptoms and demographic variables were collected. Burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) are two parts of compassion fatigue. Data were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program and included descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson`s correlations. Results: Thirteen percent of the participants reported a high ProQOL. Compassion satisfaction was negatively correlated with burnout and physical symptoms, whereas, traumatic events had positive correlations with STS. Also, burnout and STS were positively correlated with physical symptoms respectively. Conclusion: Since the level of professional quality of life among emergency nurses was relatively low it is recommended that an intervention program for emergency nurses be instituted to improve compassion satisfaction and to decrease compassion fatigue and physical symptoms.

Working Through Grief and Loss: Oncology Nurses' Perspectives on Professional Bereavement

To determine facilitators and barriers to managing patient loss from the combined perspectives of oncology nurses and to extract essential components of a supportive intervention. Qualitative, descriptive. The comprehensive National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center of a mid-Atlantic university teaching hospital. 34 nurses from inpatient and outpatient adult and pediatric oncology units. Focus groups were held with oncology staff nurses to identify challenges regarding work-related bereavement, current support for managing grief and loss, and how to support interpersonal functioning and resiliency. Work-related bereavement, bereavement support, and interventions and management strategies for bereavement and loss. Two primary themes emerged: dimensions of work-related loss and working through bereavement. Participants also provided many concrete suggestions for the creation of a supportive self-care environment. Support issues were numerous, multilevel, and varied. However, addressing those concerns can improve job satisfaction and decrease compassion fatigue. The findings lay the foundation for appropriate interventions to assist nurses in managing those situations. Administrators, managers, and individuals interested in furthering the multifaceted goals of oncology care, including nurses themselves, are challenged to create and maintain mutually supportive environments for providing optimal care to patients and families.

Compassion Fatigue Within Double Duty Caregiving: Nurse-Daughters Caring for Elderly Parents

This article examines compassion fatigue within double duty caregiving, defined here as the provision of care to elderly relatives by practicing nurses. Using qualitative data from our two studies of Canadian double duty caregivers, we identified and interviewed 20 female registered nurses whom we described as "living on the edge." The themes of context, characteristics, and consequences emerged from the findings. In this article, we argue that being both a nurse and a daughter leads to the blurring of boundaries between professional and personal care work, which ultimately predisposed these caregivers to compassion fatigue. We found that the context of double duty caregiving, specifically the lack of personal and professional resources along with increasing familial care expectations, shaped the development of compassion fatigue. Nurse-daughters caring for elderly parents under intense and prolonged conditions exhibited certain characteristics, such as being preoccupied and absorbed with their parents' health needs. The continual negotiation between professional and personal care work, and subsequent erosion of those boundaries, led to adverse health consequences experienced by the nurse-daughters. The study findings point to the need to move beyond the individualistic conceptualization and medical treatment of compassion fatigue to one that recognizes the inherent socio-economic and political contextual factors associated with compassion fatigue. Advocating for practice and policy changes at the societal level is needed to decrease compassion fatigue amongst double duty caregivers. In this article we review the compassion fatigue literature, report our most recent study methods and findings, and discuss our conclusions.

Development of an Educational Module on Provider Self-care

Intensive care providers who care for traumatized populations often face multiple traumas for extended periods and are vulnerable to developing lasting symptoms of compassion fatigue and secondary traumatization. Symptoms are often not recognizable until compassion fatigue or secondary traumatization negatively affects the providers' ability to care for their patients. More attention needs to be given to the care of the provider to ensure high-quality patient care, decrease turnover in the profession, and increase productivity. This article provides a framework for the development of an educational module for healthcare providers' self-care. This educational module created the opportunity to share with providers (a) how to explore their own professional experience; (b) how to recognize the different symptoms of compassion fatigue, primary traumatization, and secondary traumatization; (c) factors related to grief reactions; and (d) personal and professional strategies to decrease compassion fatigue and secondary traumatization.