Levels Of Compassion Satisfaction Research Articles

Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, and Secondary Traumatic Stress among Saudi Nurses at Medical City: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Compassion satisfaction, the pleasure gained from assisting others in their recovery from trauma, can help reduce the effects of burnout and secondary traumatic stress. As such, nurses' job satisfaction can be increased by increasing compassion satisfaction and decreasing compassion fatigue. This study examined the incidence of compassion fatigue and other influencing variables, such as compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress, among Saudi nurses. This was a cross-sectional study using convenience sampling. Participants comprised 177 registered nurses from various nursing departments. Data collection included the Professional Quality of Life Scale based on lifestyle, demographic details, and occupation-related questions. The averages of scores for the variables, compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress, were recorded (37.1 ± 7.4, 25.7 ± 7.5, and 26.7 ± 6.4). Participants aged 36 or older comprised a negative factor for compassion satisfaction, while years of nursing experience and higher job satisfaction were favorable predictors. Together, these three variables accounted for 30.3% of the overall variation. Low job satisfaction and poor sleep negatively affected burnout, accounting for 39.8% of the total variance. The results offer insights into identifying the risks of compassion fatigue in nurses and help design strategies to address burnout and secondary traumatic stress while enhancing their compassion satisfaction levels.

The Costs of Caring: Quantifying Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction in Burn Therapists.

Recovery from a severe burn injury requires early and aggressive therapy, which is often painful and distressing to the patient. Burn therapists who guide these interventions may be prone to experiencing secondary trauma and compassion fatigue through repeated exposure to difficult situations. At the same time, therapists may gain a sense of purpose and altruism from their work, fostering compassion satisfaction. Despite being well documented in other health professions, compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction have not been sufficiently explored among burn therapists. This study aimed to quantify and characterize burn therapists' compassion fatigue and satisfaction using the Professional Quality of Life scale and to answer the question of what job-related factors may impact these outcomes. A total of 143 burn therapists participated in this study. Results revealed compassion fatigue subsale scores of burnout and secondary traumatic stress in the low or moderate range and compassion satisfaction scores in the moderate or high ranges for all participants. This study presents new knowledge for the field of burn care in its quantification of professional quality of life in burn therapists. While burn therapists experienced moderate-to-high levels of compassion satisfaction in their work, burnout and stress also approached moderate levels. Years of practice was a significant predictor of compassion. Although the reasons for this are not clear, it may be related to increased competence or confidence in practice and may suggest a need for different support strategies for practitioners at each stage of their burn therapy career.

Professional Quality of Life and Turnover Intention in Forensic Nurse Program Coordinators: Implications to Forensic Nurse Workforce Development.

Significant barriers to forensic nurse workforce development exist, affecting patient care access. Retention of forensic nurses is a persistent problem, and turnover of forensic nurses can be attributed to many factors related to professional quality of life, including compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout (BO), and secondary traumatic stress (STS). The aim of this study was to identify the effect of an educational session on the topic of professional quality of life and strategies for mitigating the impact of stressors within the forensic nurse role on Professional Quality of Life Scale-5 and Turnover Intention Scale-6. A convenience sample of forensic nurse program coordinators was surveyed using a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental survey design. Correlation between professional quality of life indicators and turnover intention was explored. Cohort (n = 38) preintervention CS levels were average to high (mean = 41.42), BO levels were average to low (mean = 22.53), and STS levels were average to low (mean = 22.89). Statistically significant positive correlations were noted between each Professional Quality of Life Scale indicator and turnover intention (CS: r = 0.59, p < 0.0001; BO: r = 0.98, p < 0.0000; STS: r = 0.67, p < 0.0000). A statistically significant decrease in BO level (α = 0.05, p = 0.0454) was noted postintervention. BO and STS had a strong positive correlation to turnover intention. BO levels decreased to a significant degree when reassessed 3 months after the educational intervention. Increased awareness of the impact of CS, BO, and STS could decrease BO in forensic nurses with potential reduction in turnover.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Trauma Exposure, and Stress Among MSW Students: Promoting Well-Being Through Perceived Adequacy of Self-Care

ABSTRACT Among graduate social work students, experiences of childhood adversity and trauma, along with secondary exposure to others’ trauma, can result in negative effects. Unaddressed, this may lead to secondary traumatic stress, burnout, or difficulty sustaining effective practice. Self-care strategies that adequately promote well-being and resilience may counter negative effects. This cross-sectional study explored associations between students’ reported childhood adversity, trauma, recent stress, well-being, resilience, and perceived adequacy of self-care. Students from two public universities (N = 362) completed surveys that included measures for childhood adversity, potentially traumatic events, recent stress, secondary traumatic stress, burnout, compassion satisfaction, well-being, resilience, and perceived adequacy of self-care. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses demonstrated students experienced higher rates of four or more adverse childhood experiences compared to the general population (34% vs. 13%); 70% reported four or more potentially traumatic events. Despite high levels of adversity and trauma, students reported average levels of personal well-being, high levels of resilience, average-to-high levels of compassion satisfaction, and low-to-average levels of secondary traumatic stress and burnout. Adversity and trauma were positively associated with secondary traumatic stress, and negatively associated with well-being. Final models suggest perceived adequacy of self-care may support well-being, resilience, and protect against negative effects.

Professional Quality of Life and Psychological Impact on Frontline Healthcare Worker during the Fourth Wave of COVID-19

Aim. This research study aims to examine the professional quality of life (ProQOL) among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Pakistan during the fourth wave of COVID-19. Background. Under intense pressure to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, HCWs are more likely to experience psychological problems. Numerous investigations carried out in the past at various points during the pandemic have shown that COVID-19 has had important detrimental effects on HCWs. However, there are many unknowns with regard to ProQOL for HCWs. Methods. This is a cross-sectional study conducted with Pakistani HCWs who performed their duties during the fourth wave of COVID-19. Data were collected between January 1 and March 31, 2022. A total of 258 HCWs took part in the study evaluating ProQOL. The significance level was &lt;0.05. Results. Most respondents were males (79.1%), and 20.9% were females. The scores of secondary traumatic stress (STS), burnout (BO), and compassion satisfaction (CS) were 24.03 ± 3.79, 19.18 ± 2.92, and 35.29 ± 4.37, respectively. Compared with higher-income groups, HCWs with lower incomes were significantly (P&lt;0.001) more likely to experience psychological issues. Males had lower BO and STS than female HCWs (P&lt;0.001). Similarly, doctors had a lower STS than nurses (P&lt;0.05). HCWs who worked hours per day longer had a heavier STS (P&lt;0.001). Conclusion. This study shows low BO levels, moderate CS levels, and STS levels among HCWs. HCWs with lower salary were at a higher risk of mental distress due to the pandemic. HCWs who worked for long hours and had less income had more STS and BO. HCWs who were dissatisfied with their works had poor CS. Implications for Nursing Management. It is supposed that these results may help HCW managers to improve job satisfaction and rewards while reducing working hours and workload to improve the ProQOL of HCWs fighting COVID-19. The government should focus on the mental health of HCWs, enhancing their satisfaction and allocating sufficient resources.

Compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress among nurses after the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: Nurses frequently experience compassion fatigue and burnout, which impact their personal lives and patient care. The COVID-19 pandemic additionally caused stress, uncertainty, and fear of death among healthcare professionals. Aim: To assess professional quality of life (ProQoL) among nurses after the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and Methods: A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 203 nurses using a purposive sampling technique in the month of September to December 2021. Data were collected using a self-administered ProQoL scale version 5. Statistical Analysis: Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Mann–Whitney U, and Kruskal–Wallis H test were used. Bivariate correlations were used to correlate the main variables. Multiple linear regression analysis was also performed. Results: The majority of the nurses reported a moderate level of compassion satisfaction (CS) (62.6%), burnout (BO) (66.0%), and secondary traumatic stress (STS) (63.1%). Residence and education emerged as a factor whether the nurses experienced BO or STS, respectively. Additionally, CS negatively correlated with BO (r = -0.732: P &lt; 0.001) and STS (r = -0.141: p-0.04). Conclusions: The majority of the nurses experienced moderate levels of CS, BO, and STS after the second wave of the COVID-19 crisis and nurse patient–ratio emerged as a significant factor to predict CS, BO, or STS. Hence, effective measures need to be implemented by hospital administration to enhance the nurses’ satisfaction and reduce fatigue and burnout.

Work-related quality of life in professionals involved in pediatric palliative care: a repeated cross-sectional comparative effectiveness study.

Working in pediatric palliative care (PPC) impacts healthcare and allied professionals' work-related quality of life (QoL). Professionals who lack specific PPC training but who regularly provide services to the affected children have articulated their need for support from specialized PPC (SPPC) teams. This study had two objectives: (1) to evaluate whether the availability of a SPPC team impacted the work-related QoL of professionals not specialized in PPC; and (2) to explore the work-related QoL of professionals working in PPC without specialized training. Repeated cross-sectional comparative effectiveness design. One hospital with an established SPPC program and affiliated institutions provided the intervention group (IG). Three hospitals and affiliated institutions where generalist PPC was offered provided the comparison group (CG). Data were collected by paper-pencil questionnaire in 2021 and 2022. The Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL 5) questionnaire was used to assess work-related QoL, yielding separate scores for burnout (BO), secondary traumatic stress (STS) and compassion satisfaction (CS). A descriptive statistical analysis was performed and general estimation equations were modelled. To increase the comparability of the IG and CG, participants were matched by propensity scores. The 301 participating non-PPC-specialized professionals had overall low to moderate levels of BO and STS and moderate to high levels of CS. However, none of these scores (BO: p = 0.36; STS: p = 0.20; CS: p = 0.65) correlated significantly with support from an SPPC team. Compared to nurses, physicians showed higher levels of BO (1.70; p = 0.02) and STS (2.69; p ⩽ 0.001). Although the study sample's overall work-related QoL was satisfactory, it showed a considerable proportion of moderate BO and STS, as well as moderate CS. To provide tailored support to professionals working in PPC, evidence regarding key SPPC support elements and their effectiveness is needed. ClinicalTrials.gov ID, NCT04236180.

DIFFERENCES IN HOSPICE AND NONHOSPICE NURSES’ PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CHARACTERISTICS

Abstract The overextension of nurses due to an aging population, increase in chronic conditions, and the COVID-19 pandemic, places them at risk of negative outcomes. However, less is known about how hospice nurses compare to nurses in other subfields in terms of professional quality of life or factors that may potentially protect against adverse consequences of caregiving. Therefore, this study investigated differences between hospice and non-hospice nurses across several factors, including the work environment, self-awareness (SA), psychological flexibility (PF), palliative care self-efficacy (SE), and three components of professional quality of life – compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout, and secondary traumatic stress (STS). Using a cross-sectional, exploratory, and quantitative design, participants were sampled through snowball and convenience techniques. Participants (N= 72) completed an online survey, 31 (43%) identifying as working in hospice and 41 (57%) as working in non-hospice settings. Independent samples t-tests were conducted. Hospice nurses reported significantly healthier work environments, higher levels of SA, SE, and CS, and lower levels of burnout than non-hospice nurses. However, there was no significant difference in PF or STS. These findings offer a novel comparison between hospice and non-hospice nurses that could inform workplace change to better support nurses as they face increased demands and increased risk for negative outcome.

Predictors of Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue, and Burnout Among Nursing Professionals in a Medical City in Saudi Arabia.

The present study aims to evaluate compassion satisfaction (CS), compassion fatigue (CF), and burnout levels in a population of nurses employed at medical city in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia. A self-report survey was employed to gather data from 300 nurses at the selected medical city in Riyadh. The survey incorporated a demographic inquiry along with the utilization of the Professional Quality of Life Scale version 5 (ProQOL 5). The ProQOL scale is one of the most widely used measures of CS, CF, and burnout. The ProQOL scale assesses multiple domains of work experiences (ie CS, CF, and burnout). This survey was disseminated through email channels, and it garnered participation from 177 nurses, culminating in a response rate of 59%. The study's findings reveal that nurses displayed average mean levels of CS, CF, and burnout. Interestingly, the participants aged 18-56 reported higher levels of burnout, particularly those in the age groups of 18-25, 26-35, and 36-56. Moreover, those with under 10 years' experience exhibited higher degrees of burnout and less CS compared to their more experienced counterparts. Additionally, nurses with professional qualifications demonstrated better scores on CS, CF, and burnout compared to those without such qualifications. The experience of CF and CS among nurses appears to be influenced by multiple variables, such as length of experience, age, and professional qualifications. Nurses in certain age groups and with less experience are more prone to experiencing burnout, while having professional qualifications seems to protect against adverse outcomes to some extent.

The joint effect of attachment orientations and empathy on compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction among oncologists

Objective Compassion fatigue, which consists of burnout and secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction are conceptualized as the negative and positive emotional reactions of working in the helping professions. In this study we examined the joint effect of oncologists’ attachment orientations and empathy on their compassion fatigue and satisfaction. Methods Seventy-three oncologists completed a demographic questionnaire, the shortened version of the Experiences in Close Relationships scale, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and the Professional Quality of Life questionnaire. Results A cluster analysis based on empathy and attachment orientations yielded three meaningful clusters that seem to reflect the three attachment orientations: secure, anxious and avoidant. The oncologists in the three clusters differed in their compassion fatigue levels (i.e. both burnout and secondary traumatic stress) and in their compassion satisfaction levels. Secure attachment (i.e. low scores on both anxious attachment and avoidant attachment) along with high levels of the cognitive component of empathy (perspective-taking) resulted in lower levels of compassion fatigue and higher levels of compassion satisfaction than did insecure attachment. Conclusions The study emphasizes the importance of oncologists’ attachment orientations and appropriate distance/closeness to their patients in protecting them from compassion fatigue and helping them experience compassion satisfaction.

UNLOCKING THE POWER OF SPIRITUAL INTELLIGENCE: ENHANCING THE PROFESSIONAL QUALITY OF LIFE OF CRITICAL CARE NURSES IN PRIVATE HOSPITALS

Caring for critically ill patients may have a negative impact on nurses’ professional quality of life (ProQOL), including their compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout (BO), and secondary traumatic stress (STS), leading to nurses’ turnover and concerns about the quality of care provided. Spiritual intelligence (SI) has been considered an important quality in most professions in recent years, but there is limited research on its role in contributing to the ProQOL of nurses. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the role of SI and its relationship with professional nurses’ ProQOL. This study aimed to determine the level of SI and ProQOL among critical care nurses in private hospitals. Followed by examining the relationship between SI and demographic data towards the dimension of ProQOL. A multisite study using a cross-sectional design was conducted on 136 nurses working at three private hospitals in Malaysia from March 2021 to March 2022 via an online survey. Data was gathered using the Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory (SISRI-24) and the Professional Quality of Life Version 5 (ProQOL-5), and descriptive and multivariate analyses were run using SPSS. SI among nurses was found at moderate to high levels of (61.30 ± 12.95), and the majority nurses had a moderate level of CS (72.1%), BO (77.2%), and STS (75.0%). In regression, there was a statistically significant relationship between SI toward CS (β = 0.61, t = 9.79, p &lt; 0.01) and BO (β = -0.31, t = -4.19, p &lt; 0.01), suggesting that CS levels were significantly higher with increasing SI levels, and BO levels significantly reduced with increasing SI levels. Also, female nurses are predicted to have a higher level of BO than male nurses (β = 0.20, t = 2.77, p = 0.01). The study’s results suggested that a holistic strategic approach is needed to improve CS and mitigate the negative component of ProQOL (BO and STS) by utilizing SI. It is hoped that nursing education institutes and hospital organizations can contribute to cultivating SI among nurses with extra consideration given to female nurses.

Secondary traumatic stress and posttraumatic growth in newly graduated nurses: the mediating role of compassion satisfaction

BackgroundNurses’ secondary traumatic stress, compassion satisfaction and posttraumatic growth are closely related, but for newly graduated nurses, there are few reports to evaluate the specific path between these three. The aim of this study was to investigate examine the mediating role of compassion satisfaction in secondary traumatic stress and posttraumatic growth among newly graduated nurses.MethodsFrom March 2021 to May 2021, a total of 330 newly graduated nurses from five tertiary hospitals in China were enrolled, and asked to complete questionnaires regarding secondary traumatic stress, compassion satisfaction and posttraumatic growth. Descriptive statistics, independent-samples T-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson correlation analysis and structural equation model were used in this study. A STROBE checklist was used to report findings.ResultsThe scores of secondary traumatic stress, compassion satisfaction and posttraumatic growth of newly graduated nurses were 27.11 ± 4.94 (score range: 10–50), 31.89 ± 6.22 (score range: 10–50) and 56.47 ± 20.41 (score range: 0-100), respectively. Additionally, structural equation modeling showed that compassion satisfaction mediated the relationship between secondary traumatic stress and posttraumatic growth with the partial mediating effect of 0.089.ConclusionsNewly graduated nurses may experience moderate secondary traumatic stress, but their posttraumatic growth is at a low level, and compassion satisfaction significantly affects the relationship between the two. Nursing managers should strengthen psychological evaluation, and promote their posttraumatic growth by improving their level of compassion satisfaction.

Professional quality of life and its associated factors among Vietnamese doctors and nurses

BackgroundPrevalence of health workers with occupational health issues ranked fourth among all careers resulting in a reduction in quality of life. However, tools to measure professional quality of life (ProQoL) are unavailable in Vietnamese. This study aims to develop a Vietnamese version of the ProQoL, and examine ProQoL and its associated factors among doctors and nurses.MethodsThe ProQoL is comprised of 30 items measures compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout (BO), and secondary traumatic stress (STS). The tool was translated into Vietnamese following the Guideline by Guillemin et. al (1993), reviewed by expert panels, and validated for internal consistency and test-retest reliability among 38 health workers working at hospitals in HCMC. The validated tool was then used in a cross-sectional study to measure the ProQoL of full-time doctors and nurses working in clinical departments at the University Medical Center, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In addition to the ProQoL, self-reported data about demographic and occupational characteristics were collected.ResultsThe Vietnamese version of ProQoL achieved high internal consistency (alphas between 0.85 and 0.91) and Intra-class Correlation Coefficients (ICCs between 0.71 and 0.89) for all subscales. Among 316 health workers, mean scores of CS, BO, STS were 36.4 (SD = 5.4), 24.9 (SD = 5.1), 25.9 (SD = 5.3), respectively, indicating moderate levels of CS, BO and STS. Participants who were older (b = 0.17, 95%CI = 0.08, 0.26), had sufficient perceived income (b = 2.59, 95%CI = 0.93, 4.24), and > 10 years of working experience (b = 2.15, 95%CI = 0.68, 3.62), had higher CS scores. Those who were older (b=-0.15, 95%CI=-0.23, -0.07), had sufficient perceived income (b=-2.64, 95%CI=-4.18, -1.09), > 10 years of experience (b=-1.38, 95%CI=-2.76, -0.01), worked in surgical department (b=-1.46, 95%CI=-2.54, -0.38) and 8 hours/day (b=-1.52, 95%CI=-2.61, -0.44), had lower BO scores. Moreover, those in a relationship (b=-2.27, 95%CI=-3.53, -1.01) and had sufficient perceived income (b=-1.98, 95%CI=-3.64, -0.32) had lower STS scores.ConclusionsThe Vietnamese version of ProQoL is valid and reliable for use among Vietnamese health workers. Age, marital status, perceived income status, years of working experience, daily working hours, and specialty was associated with at least one component of ProQoL but gender, religion, education level, and monthly income were not.

Exploring Teachers’ Well-being Through Compassion

This mixed methods case study examined teachers’ levels of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue, or the combination of burnout and secondary traumatic stress, and strove to understand how teachers experience these phenomena and what supports could be used to alleviate some of the harmful symptoms of compassion fatigue. For this study, I used a healing centered approach and the Compassion Fatigue Theoretical Model, after reviewing previous literature around compassion fatigue and satisfaction, workplace well-being, school well-being, and context specific efforts in the District of Columbia Public Schools system that involved teacher and staff well-being. The final research design produced findings around the importance of qualitative research in understanding well-being and compassion fatigue and satisfaction, suggestions for schools and districts to support teacher well-being, and the effect the pandemic has had, directly on teachers and indirectly through the pandemic’s effects on their students.

The Levels and Influencing Factors of Compassion Fatigue among New Nurses during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Aim. To investigate the levels and influencing factors of compassion fatigue among new nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Background. New nurses are often unable to cope with the escalating nursing problems during the COVID-19 epidemic because of their lack of work experience, which may reduce their level of compassion satisfaction and cause compassion fatigue. However, there is little research on compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction among new nurses during the COVID-19 epidemic. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study. From June to October 2021, 520 new nurses were selected from eight designated hospital for treatment of COVID-19 in China for electronic survey. Questions elicited social-demographics, work-related information, lifestyle factors, and the Chinese version Professional Quality of Life Scale. Results. The scores of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress of new nurses were 31.85 ± 6.18, 27.94 ± 5.04, and 27.17 ± 4.87, respectively. In addition, regression analysis showed that nurses’ compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress were affected by social-demographics, work-related information, and lifestyle factors. Conclusions. During the COVID-19 epidemic, compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress of new nurses were at a moderate level, which were relatively affected by work-related information and lifestyle, and had little correlation with social-demographics. Implications for Nursing Management. Hospital administrators can promote new nurses’ compassion satisfaction and alleviate their compassion fatigue by improving job satisfaction, encouraging smoking cessation, arranging work hours reasonably, ensuring sleep hours, reducing workplace violence, and strengthening the reporting of violence incidents.

Exploring compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in emergency nurses: a mixed-methods study.

Compassion fatigue can have detrimental effects on emergency nurses and the quality of patient care they deliver. Ongoing challenges such as operational pressures and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may have increased nurses' risk of experiencing compassion fatigue. To explore and understand emergency nurses' experiences and perceptions of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design comprising two phases. In phase one, the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL-5) scale was used to obtain information on the prevalence and severity of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue among emergency nurses. In phase two, six participants' experiences and perceptions were explored via semi-structured interviews. A total of 44 emergency nurses completed the ProQOL-5 questionnaires. Six respondents had a high compassion satisfaction score, 38 had a moderate score and none had a low score. In the interviews, participants revealed different explanations regarding their compassion satisfaction levels. Three main themes were identified: personal reflections; factors identified as maintaining stability; and external factors affecting compassion. Compassion fatigue needs to be prevented and addressed systemically to avoid detrimental effects on ED staff morale and well-being, staff retention, patients and care delivery.

Workplace Spirituality, Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, and Secondary Traumatic Stress: A Cross-Sectional Study in Iranian Nurses

Purpose. This study aimed to (1) assess the levels and associations of workplace spirituality (WPS), compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout (BO), and secondary traumatic stress (STS) among Iranian nurses; and (2) identify the impact of WPS components on CS, BO, and STS while controlling for demographic variables. Design and Methods. In this descriptive, cross‐sectional, and correlational study, 295 nurses were selected via proportionate stratified sampling from five hospitals affiliated with the Arak University of Medical Sciences in Iran from June 2022 to December 2022. The scale of workplace spirituality and Professional Quality of Life version 5 (ProQOL-5) were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS24 and descriptive and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression). Findings. The mean scores of WPS, CS, BO, and STS were 63.27, 36.55, 27.31, and 29.58, respectively. The highest percentages of nurses reported moderate CS, BO, and STS levels, reaching rates of 76.3%, 80%, and 86.1%, respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficient showed that CS had a negative relationship with BO and STS. There was a direct correlation between BO and STS. Participants who reported higher levels of WPS had higher CS and lower BO scores. Results of multiple regression analyses indicate that the model of WPS components and control variables explains 42.7, 34, and 8.6 percent of the variance of CS, BO, and STS, respectively. Higher “meaningful work” is associated with higher CS and lower BO and STS among nurses. Participants higher in “sense of community” had higher CS scores. Higher “alignment with organizational values” is associated with higher STS. Practice Implications. According to the study results, it is possible to provide a suitable platform for improving nurses’ professional quality of life by strengthening workplace spirituality.

Assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurse practitioners' professional quality of life.

The COVID-19 global pandemic has put health care professionals under immense pressure and hindered their ability to provide quality services. This study aimed to examine the professional quality of life (ProQOL) among Georgia nurse practitioners during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The ProQOL survey was distributed to nurse practitioners in Georgia by the professional organization's listserv. Multiple analysis of variance (ANOVA) analyses were performed to assess differences between employment settings, geographic location, and other relevant demographic qualifiers and levels of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. Hundred nurse practitioners (NPs) (n = 100) responded to the survey. Ninety-one percent were female and ages 25-35 years. Male NPs showed higher rates of compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress. A ProQOL survey demonstrated increased burnout and secondary traumatic stress among frontline practitioners in Georgia due to increased workloads, feelings of inadequacy, fear of being infected by the virus, and prolonged exposure to deaths. Ensuring effective communication, team collaboration, emotional, adequate staffing, and psychological support can help reduce compassion fatigue among NPs.

The effects of mantra‐based AMI Meditation on burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction levels in healthcare providers

AbstractImportanceThere is an abundance of research demonstrating the growing challenge of burnout in healthcare professionals. This has been further exacerbated by the COVID‐19 pandemic. The use of meditation using various techniques has shown promising results in the reduction of stress and its sequelae.ObjectiveTo determine the efficacy of a mantra‐based meditation protocol developed by the American Meditation Institute to reduce caregiver stress by evaluating changes in burnout and secondary traumatic stress (components of compassion fatigue) and compassion satisfaction with the application of the meditation protocol.Design, Setting, and ParticipationThis pre–post cohort analysis was conducted on prospective enrollees of the Continuing Medical Education (CME)‐accredited American Meditation Institute's annual Heart and Science of Yoga® Conference, a comprehensive training in Yoga Science as Holistic Mind/Body Medicine for physicians and other healthcare providers held in October in Lenox, Massachusetts. Enrollees were trained in mantra‐based AMI Meditation at the conference and monitored during the 6‐month period following the conference.InterventionsThe mantra‐based AMI Meditation intervention included a 5‐day in‐person training, a daily practice of a guided mantra‐based AMI Meditation using a 20‐min CD or MP3 recording, and receipt of a monthly motivational letter. Study participants completed the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) Measure (a survey) and a demographic survey at baseline, and the ProQOL Measure and an informational survey at 3 and 6 months.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcome was a change from baseline in participants’ level of burnout using the ProQOL assessed at baseline and 3 and 6 months. Secondary outcomes included change from baseline in participants’ level of secondary traumatic stress and compassion satisfaction assessed at 3 and 6 months using the ProQOL Measure. Qualitative data were also collected from participant feedback, via the informational surveys, at 3 months and after completion of the program at 6 months.ResultsOf the 54 participants who enrolled and completed a baseline survey, 30 completed the follow‐up at 3 months and 21 participants completed the follow‐up at 6 months. From baseline to 6 months, there were statistically significant improvements in the scores for all three ProQOL scales. Using paired t‐test, burnout scores were reduced by 23.2% (p &lt; 0.0001), secondary traumatic stress scores were reduced by 19.9% (p = 0.001), and compassion satisfaction scores improved by 11.2% (p &lt; 0.0001). For secondary traumatic stress and compassion satisfaction scores, most improvements were seen at 3 months. For burnout, the improvements were constant across the 3‐ and 6‐month follow‐ups.ConclusionsIn this small cohort of healthcare professionals, the mantra‐based AMI Meditation program significantly improved all three domains of caregiver stress with improvements in burnout and secondary traumatic stress as well as improvements in feelings of compassion. This adds to a rapidly growing body of research supporting the critical importance of these tools and skills in the mitigation of caregiver stress.

Quantifying Compassion Fatigue in Ancillary and Clinical Staff in an Adult Emergency Department.

Emergency department (ED) staff are at a high risk for compassion fatigue (CF) due to a work environment that combines high patient acuity, violence, and other workplace stressors. This multifaceted syndrome has wide-ranging impacts which, if left untreated, can lead to adverse mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. However, the majority of studies examining CF look solely at clinicians; as a result, there is little information on the impact of CF across other roles involved in supporting patient care. We conducted this study to establish the prevalence of CF across both clinical and non-clinical roles in the adult ED setting. For this single institution, cross-sectional study, all full- and part-time ED staff members who worked at least 50% of their shifts in the ED or within the adult trauma service line were eligible to participate. Using the Professional Quality of Life Scale, which measures CF via compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout (BO), and secondary traumatic stress (STS), we assessed for group differences between roles using non-parametric one-way ANOVA. A total of 152 participants (response rate = 38.0%) completed the survey. This included attending physicians (n = 15, 9.7%), resident/fellow physicians (n = 23, 15.1%), staff nurses (n = 54, 35.5%), emergency technicians (n = 21, 13.8%), supportive clinical staff (n = 28, 18.4%), and supportive ancillary staff (n = 11, 7.2%). Across all roles, the majority of respondents had average levels of BO (median = 25.0, interquartile range [IQR] 20.0-29.0) and STS (median = 23.0, IQR 18.0-27.0) coupled with high levels of CS (median = 38.0, IQR 33.0-43.0). There was a difference in CS by role (P = .01), with nurses reporting lower CS than attending physicians. Secondary traumatic stress also differed by role (P = .01), with attending physicians reporting lower STS than both emergency technicians and nurses. Group differences were not seen in BO. Rates of compassion fatigue subcomponents were similar across all ED team members, including non-clinical staff. Programs to identify and mitigate CF should be implemented and extended to all roles within the ED.