Combating Compassion Fatigue in Nursing

Combating Compassion Fatigue Introduction It has been revealed that even though nurses and other healthcare professionals play a very important role in the health care sector, the environment in which they work subjects them to a variety of factors that can result in their burnout and compassion fatigue in addition to other negative consequences. Healthcare professionals, held by the hypocritical oath of service, are required to provide unlimited services to patients regardless of their ethnic background and economic as well as political inclination. The fact that there exists only a small fraction of nurses and other health care practitioners as compared to the total number of health professionals required is believed to be one of the major factors that have resulted in overworking of nurses.

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Even though management in various health care facilities have set up programs with intent of ensuring that caregivers are not overworked and at the same time patients are provided with quality care, these programs have done little to completely eliminate cases of compassion fatigue. Research has revealed that however much it is required of caregivers to offer competent care to patients, this requirement cannot be fulfilled if they are suffering from burnout and compassion fatigue (Thomson Healthcare Company, 2010). Exposure to uncomfortable working conditions in addition to overworking of nurses leaves them both physically and psychologically overwhelmed. In this state nurses cannot provide unequalled care to patients. This paper through qualitative analysis of journal articles, published work and other legitimate sources is going to evaluate various aspects associated with compassion fatigue so as to determine how the caregivers’ fraternity can be assisted.

Compassion fatigue Compassion fatigue, also referred to as extended burn out, is a terminology used in describing the unique stressors that people in the care giving profession, mainly nurses and psychotherapists, are faced with. Empathy is recognized as the main cause of compassion fatigue. It is the normal outcome of stress emanating from providing care for as well as assisting people suffering from various forms of trauma. It entails extreme concern of another person and his or her health problems. Exposure to a painful narrative of another person is believed to have enough power to result in compassion fatigue. Espeland (2006) has made it clear that compassion fatigue is turning out to be a common problem because it has affected a large number of healthcare professionals. Some of the symptoms that have been pointed out by

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Espeland (2006) as indicators of compassion fatigue include: Frustration, emotional instability, physical fatigue, irritability, reduced productivity and compulsive activities in addition to negative emotions. Most of the healthcare professionals suffering from compassion fatigue view themselves as hopeless. They usually believe that their situation in addition to having extremely deteriorated cannot be changed. It is important to note that even though a caregiver may feel physically and emotionally drained as a consequence of being overworked, the situation can be changed. Pinpointing of the main causes of compassion fatigue is the initial step towards overcoming this healthcare issue (Espeland, 2006). Change of individual’s perception of work and the factors associated with it is one of the major steps towards moving away from compassion fatigue as well as revitalizing ones career (Espeland, 2006).

Bush (2009) has highlighted a story of an oncology nurse who was on the verge of losing control of her life as a result of numerous obligations bestowed on her. In this story, Bush (2009) reveals some of the main factors believed to result in compassion fatigue. In accordance with Bush (2009), trying to balance between family obligations and work puts a great deal of pressure on modern day caregivers. As a result of having numerous duties to attend, caregivers are most of the time left overwhelmed; their positive energy is usually drained and they cannot attend to patients effectively.

Health care professionals who are not accorded with the support they require be it at home or at work have a higher risk of developing compassion fatigue. The risk is even higher among those who believe that nursing was not their intended career. Bush (2009) points out that the current rate of increase in nurses’ shortage, an aspect which tremendously increases the nurse-patient ratio, dampens the physical as well as the psychological stability of most nurses.

The other factor, according to Bush (2009), which has the potential to result in compassion

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fatigue among nurses, is the presence of medical complications that are not easily manageable.

The physical and emotional needs of patients greatly contribute to caregivers becoming tired, ineffective, depressed, apathetic angry and detached. Emotional attachment between patient and nurses is also believed to have the potential to result in compassion fatigue especially in cases where the patient eventually dies. Nurses may start feeling incompetent both at work as well as at home; an aspect that only aggravates an already worse situation.

However, it is important to note that there are a variety of ways through which compassion fatigue can be overcome. It has been revealed that a large number of caregivers focus all their attention on others at the expense of their own health. Therefore, in order to overcome compassion fatigue it is important for caregivers as well as their employers to recognize and lay down effective programs for tackling psychological hindrances that are likely to get in the way of personal care. Self care is believed to have the capacity to increase ones ability to take care of others. Self-care involves taking on positive attitude, changing one’s lifestyle and being present for intuitive guidance and personal feelings.

Bush (2009) has made it clear that one of the best strategies for use in assisting persons suffering from compassion fatigue is trying to understand them together with the situation they are in as well as providing them with the much needed physical, emotional and spiritual support.

Research has revealed that care-giving can actually impact negatively on the health of healthcare professionals (Bush, 2009). Continuous stress together with lack of sleep increases the risk of fatigue and illness among nurses. Exercise and relaxation are believed to be some of the main physical needs through which compassion fatigue can be managed (Bush, 2009). Besides lowering the risk of depression, exercise can also significantly decrease mental as well as physical fatigue.

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The fact that caregivers come across a wide range of activities that are physically and emotionally draining calls for regular exercise, which has been recognized as one of the best ways to reduces cases of being overwhelmed (Thomson Healthcare Company, 2010). It is important to note that addressing the emotional needs of caregivers increases their ability to provide high quality services to those in need. Caregivers should never allow themselves to get lost in caring for patients. Emotional support from other healthcare professionals, family members and the community at large positively impacts on the psychological stability of caregivers (Thomson Healthcare Company, 2010). In addition to physical and emotional needs, spiritual support is the other requirement caregivers should be provided with. Care-giving is believed to exhaust the spiritual needs of many. By being preoccupied with care-giving, caregivers tend to neglect their spiritual and emotional needs. They view emotional needs of other people as being more important than theirs. So as to ensure that this gap is filled, caregivers should recognize that even if they are not directly expressed, the need for spiritual as well as emotional needs is real (Espeland, 2006).

Conclusion It can be concluded that even though caregivers play an important role in the health care sector, the environment in which they work subjects them to a variety of factors that can result in compassion fatigue in addition to other negative consequences. Emotional attachment between patients and caregivers is the main factor that leads to compassion fatigue especially in cases where the patient eventually dies. Caregivers start feeling incompetent both at work as well as at home; an aspect that only aggravates an already worse situation. Caregivers should be provided with emotional and spiritual support to ensure that they do not fall victims of compassion fatigue.

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Bush, N. J., (2009). Compassion fatigue: Are you at risk? Oncology Nursing Forum, 36(1): 2425.

Espeland, K. E., (2006). Overcoming burnout: How to revitalize your career. Journal of Continuing Education Nursing, 37(4):178-84.

Thomson Healthcare Company, (2010). Program to combat 'compassion fatigue. Retrieved on April 22, 2012 from http://library.gcu.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/ login.aspx?direct=true&db=rzh&AN=2010808108&site=ehost-live&scope=site