Triggering Factors for Compassion Fatigue among Nurses and Nursing Interventions for Higher Compassion Satisfaction

Abstract

Compassion Fatigue (CF) is identified as a unique form of Burn out that prevails among many healthcare professionals. CF could bring about severe psychological & physical deteriorations in nurses. Nurses engaged in traumatic patient care in contrast to other nurses are highly prone to CF. The aim of the study is to explore variety of interventions for overcoming CF. Nurses are bound by the social responsibility of promoting well-being of clients, their family members and the whole community as well. The standards of compassionate care directed on client, their families and the whole community is significantly dependent on self-care levels of nurses. The importance of sustainable selfcare standards of the nurses becomes central to the study since it directly impacts on levels of Compassion satisfaction (CS). CS is the inverse effect of CF. This study was carried out as a qualitative study using inductive data analysis methods. Data have been collected by referring to scientific articles selected through an exclusion & inclusion criteria. Results were synthesized under two major themes to address the research questions using Granheim & Lund theory. The discussion chapter analytically discusses the analyzed results in the light of the theoretical framework. Thus the study attempts to develop a uniform set of guidelines on enhancing self-care levels & well-being of nursing professionals effectively. The transparency and the ethical standards of the study have been also accorded by research regulations of Finland. Since this study is mainly confined to researches undertaken in developed countries, other situations in many parts of the world are not reflected as intended. Moreover, Hospital policies or Administration policy frameworks in fostering higher self-care standards should also be subject to more exploration using other theoretical bases. Keywords: Compassion fatigue, Compassion satisfaction, Self-care, Mindfulness, Well-being/ professional quality of life, stress, work environment,