Combating Compassion Fatigue

Combating Compassion Fatigue

Kevin Ortloff

Grand Canyon University: HLT-310V

June 29, 2014

Combating Compassion Fatigue

Compassion fatigue is a state of tension and preoccupation with the act of healing, experienced by those who help care for and heal those in distress (Melvin, 2012). Compassion fatigue is a phenomenon experienced by nurses and other health care professionals on a daily basis. Constant emergencies, limited staffing, unrealistic workplace expectations, and inappropriate workloads contribute to compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue potentates a severe problem in health care because fatigue leads to nurse absence, unhealthiness, staff conflict, and staff turnover, which negatively impacts client care by delivery of substandard care (Chen, Lin, Wang, Hou, 2009). Interventions including positive coping mechanisms and stress reduction techniques must be implemented to decrease compassion fatigue and facilitate positive client outcomes.

This paper serves to identify warning signs of compassion fatigue experienced by nurses, discuss the nature of problems and causes pertaining to compassion fatigue, explain physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of caregivers, and provide examples of coping strategies and stress reduction techniques to help caregivers prevent and manage compassion fatigue.

Warning Signs for Compassion Fatigue

Nurses commonly experience compassion fatigue. Emergent situations, limited staffing, unrealistic workplace expectations, and inappropriate workloads contribute to compassion fatigue and this fatigue may be exhibited in various ways. Melvin (2012) acknowledges that nurses are particularly vulnerable to compassion fatigue because they utilize core values of compassion and empathy on a daily basis, and routinely employ these values to overcome both inter- and intrapersonal pain, trauma, and stress.

Warning signs of compassion fatigue may be clearly visible to all or may be well hidden. However, nurses and management should remain cognitive and aware of individuals at higher risk for and who may be experiencing such feelings. Signs of compassion fatigue include cognitive, emotional, and behavioral alterations as well as personal and work-related relationship problems. Nurses may experience cognitive alterations such as decreased concentration, lower self-esteem, decreased self-worth, and boredom. Emotional changes may include anxiety levels higher than those beneficial to themselves and clients, guilt, anger, powerlessness, and helplessness resulting in obvious behavioral problems such as irritation, loss of sleep, appetite and mood changes.

Relationships with clients, families, co-workers, management, and their own family members may suffer as a result of compassion fatigue (Bush, 2009). Nurse/client relationships may suffer when clients feel a distance or aura exhibited by nurses, decreasing respect and leading to a negative client outcome. Nurses may distance themselves from spouses and other family members as they strive to find themselves and overcome compassion fatigue. Often times, nurses experience compassion fatigue within their own homes, dismissing complaints of family members because they deal with terminal illness and death daily.