Compassion fatigue is viewed as a disconcerting issue facing healthcare professionals in the clinical care milieu, and nurses are identified as the most susceptible population among healthcare professionals. The purpose of this project was to create positive social change by helping oncology nurses find ways to enhance self-care and self-awareness, thereby reducing the risk of compassion fatigue and burnout among healthcare professionals. This project investigated an educational module on compassion fatigue that focused on (a) identifying the occurrence rates of compassion fatigue among oncology nurses, (b) evaluating the demographic features that were associated with the most frequent rates of compassion fatigue, and (c) educating nurses about ways to decrease or alleviate this problem. The 5 participants for this project included oncology nurses working at a healthcare facility in east Texas. The project was conducted using a quantitative methodology with a descriptive design. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire consisting of 5 Likert-type items. The analysis of the information received shows the high levels of compassion fatigue among nurses include (a) staff shortages that require working for long hours under unusual strenuous conditions, such as shifts lasting more than 12 hours without allotted breaks; (b) wearing heavy protective gear that results in a number of adverse reactions; and (c) the fear of contracting the potentially fatal diseases and/or bringing such illnesses back to the families of staff members. The outcome of the project consisted of an education module for oncology nurses that provide information about issues related to compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction. Positive social change may occur by improving the quality of patient care and self-transcendence for healthcare professionals.

Past research has revealed that mental health practitioners experience challenging reactions in the course of their professional interactions with traumatized clients in the clinical work setting. The demands of caring, without commensurate replenishment, deplete the practitioners' empathy and produces forms of apathy and indifference towards the suffering of others, known as compassion fatigue. This quantitative, exploratory, cross sectional study examined the predictive relationships between compassion fatigue and work attitudes in primary care physicians located in West Africa. The etiological model of compassion fatigue and constructivist self-development theory (CSDT) formed the conceptual framework for examining clinician responses to trauma-related experiences in the clinical work environment. The main research question in this study was: How well does the level of compassion fatigue in practitioners predict their work attitudes in the clinical work setting? Survey data collected from 67 primary care physicians were analyzed using a linear regression modeling procedure. Results showed that practitioners' compassion fatigue was a statistically significant predictor of their work attitudes, F(1,65) = 7.78, p < .05, R-² = .107. Results also confirmed that compassion satisfaction moderated the effect of compassion fatigue in practitioners. The data revealed that higher levels of compassion satisfaction was related to more positive levels of attitudes toward work. This study provided empirical information regarding the predictive relationships between compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and work attitudes. The results can be used to promote social change by providing health-care leaders in developing countries information that supports the need for activities, services, and support programs that enhance compassion satisfaction in physicians, to improve work attitudes. Such programs would promote further social change by improving the physicians' well-being, and mitigating the effects of compassion fatigue.

Compassion fatigue (CF), also known as secondary traumatic stress (STS), impacts critical care nurses (CCN) through exposure to pain, suffering, and loss of those for whom they provide care and results in a reduction of compassion satisfaction (CS). High incidence of CF and turnover (TO) rates at the project site were identified among CCNs. The institution's CCN TO rate was at 81% in comparison to peers in other areas at 29%–35%. The practice-focused question asked whether leadership education on CF might ameliorate CF at the project site. The purpose of the Doctor of Nursing Practice project was to reduce the incidence of CF and TO among CCN through leadership education. Watson's theory of human caring was used as a framework. Two hundred twenty-nine CCNs completed the Professional Quality of Life survey that measures CS, STS, and burnout (BO). Comparison of 28 nursing leaders' pretest scores to posttest scores indicated a statistically significant improvement (z = -4.625, p < .001) and knowledge acquisition. BO and CF taken together explained 86% (adjusted R2 = .86) of the variance in CS (F [2, 227] = 691.33, p < .001). Identifying the nursing units with the highest CF scores and providing CF education to the leadership provides a path to reduce turnover and provide needed support to CCNs, a positive social change.

Past research has revealed that mental health practitioners experience challenging reactions in the course of their professional interactions with traumatized clients in the clinical work setting. The demands of caring, without commensurate replenishment, deplete the practitioners' empathy and produces forms of apathy and indifference towards the suffering of others, known as compassion fatigue. This quantitative, exploratory, cross sectional study examined the predictive relationships between compassion fatigue and work attitudes in primary care physicians located in West Africa. The etiological model of compassion fatigue and constructivist self-development theory (CSDT) formed the conceptual framework for examining clinician responses to trauma-related experiences in the clinical work environment. The main research question in this study was: How well does the level of compassion fatigue in practitioners predict their work attitudes in the clinical work setting? Survey data collected from 67 primary care physicians were analyzed using a linear regression modeling procedure. Results showed that practitioners' compassion fatigue was a statistically significant predictor of their work attitudes, F(1,65) = 7.78, p < .05, R² = .107. Results also confirmed that compassion satisfaction moderated the effect of compassion fatigue in practitioners. The data revealed that higher levels of compassion satisfaction was related to more positive levels of attitudes toward work. This study provided empirical information regarding the predictive relationships between compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and work attitudes. The results can be used to promote social change by providing health-care leaders in developing countries information that supports the need for activities, services, and support programs that enhance compassion satisfaction in physicians, to improve work attitudes. Such programs would promote further social change by improving the physicians' well-being, and mitigating the effects of compassion fatigue.

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Närstående som mist någon i suicid är i riskzonen för att utveckla psykisk ohälsa. Få studier har undersökt närståendes upplevelse av samhällets stödinsatser. Det är även få studier som undersökt relationen mellan närståendes grad av self-compassion och hjälpsökandebeteende. Syftet med denna studie var därför att undersöka hur närstående upplever samhällets stödinsatser, samt om det finns ett samband mellan grad av self-compassion, antalet stödinsatser de sökt och vilken stödinsats de vänt sig till. Studien bestod av 174 personer som var medlemmar i den ideella organisationen Suicidprevention och efterlevandestöd (SPES) där samtliga var över 18 år. Oberoende t-test användes för att se skillnad i medelvärde mellan olika grupper av self-compassion och antalet stödinsatser de sökt. Vidare gjordes chi-två test och ANOVA-analyser för att se om det fanns en statistisk signifikant skillnad mellan grad av self-compassion, antalet stödinsatser de sökt samt vilken typ av stöd. Resultatet visade att närstående fått mest stöd från framförallt familjemedlem/vän eller partner men även från ideell organisation och religiöst förbund. Minst stöd upplevde de att de fått från vuxenpsykiatrin, vårdcentral och privat professionell behandlare. Det fanns ett signifikant samband mellan antalet stödinsatser deltagare sökt och grad av self-compassion, där de med lägre grad av self-compassion sökte fler stödinsatser. Resultatet visade även en signifikant skillnad i skattningen mellan olika grader av self-compassion och vilka som sökt stödinsatserna vuxenpsykiatrin och familjemedlem/vän eller partner. Resultatet tyder på att det nuvarande stödet är bristande och det behövs mer forskning inom området som underlag till förbättring. / People bereaved by suicide are at risk to develop mental health problems. Few studies have aimed to research on their experience of support efforts in combination with self-compassion and how it influences help-seeking behaviour. The purpose of the study was to investigate how the bereaved experience support efforts, and whether the degree of self-compassion affects how much support they sought and which support effort they turned to. The participants were 174 persons from the non-profit organization Suicidprevention och efterlevandestöd (SPES) and all participants were over 18 years old. Independent t-test was used to see the difference in means between groups of self-compassion and the number of support efforts they sought. Chi-square test and ANOVA-analyzes were used to calculate the significant difference between groups in self-compassion, how much and what kind of support they sought. Results showed that the bereaved experienced most support from family members/friends or partners, non-profit organizations and religious associations. They experienced least support from adult psychiatry, primary care and private practicing psychologists. There was a significant association between how many support efforts bereaved sought and degree of self-compassion, where they with lower degree of self-compassion sought more support efforts. The result showed a significant difference between degree of self-compassion and those who sought help from adult psychiatry and family member/friend or partner. As the result indicates that the current support is inadequate, more research in this area is needed as a basis for improvement.

Les intervenants travaillant avec une clientèle d’immigrants et de réfugiés ayant vécu des traumatismes sont susceptibles de développer des symptômes de Fatigue de compassion. La Fatigue de compassion est un état de stress et d’épuisement émotionnel qu’un intervenant peut ressentir à la suite de l’exposition indirecte aux expériences traumatiques de son client. Ce phénomène peut avoir des répercussions négatives sur le professionnel, sur l’alliance thérapeutique et sur le milieu de travail. Dans la pratique, de nombreuses interventions sont mises sur pied pour prévenir ou traiter la fatigue de compassion. Cette abondance témoigne d’un besoin réel et grandissant des intervenants travaillant auprès d’une clientèle traumatisée. Cependant, celles-ci font rarement l’objet d’évaluations pour en mesurer l’efficacité et on connaît encore peu les composantes à considérer dans la prévention et le traitement de la fatigue de compassion. De plus, peu d’interventions sont mises sur pied spécifiquement pour les intervenants travaillant auprès de réfugiés et d’immigrants ayant vécu des traumatismes liés à la guerre et à la violence. Compte tenu des défis particuliers que l’intervention auprès de cette clientèle comporte, les risques de développer des manifestations de Fatigue de compassion peuvent être plus élevés. La présente étude vise donc d’une part à améliorer les connaissances en lien avec le vécu subjectif des intervenants qui travaillent auprès de cette clientèle, et ce, en portant une attention particulière aux manifestations de Fatigue de compassion. D’une autre part, l’étude vise à évaluer les retombées d’une formation préventive sur les manifestations de Fatigue de compassion chez les intervenants qui œuvrent auprès de cette clientèle.

Bakgrund: Utbrändhet är trots omfångsrik forskning fortfarande ett ökande folkhälsoproblem i samhället. Forskning visar att utbrändhet har starkt samband med arbetslivet och att yrkesgrupper inom vårdsektorn är särskilt utsatta. Självmedkänsla som en ganska ny form av intervention kan här spela en roll i ett preventivt folkhälsoarbete mot utbrändhet. Syfte: Litteraturöversiktens syfte är att belysa självmedkänsla som förebyggande åtgärd mot utbrändhet hos yrkesgrupper inom vårdsektorn. Metod: Ett urval av tio vetenskapliga artiklar har systematiskt lästs, kodats och analyserats för att få fram teman för ny förståelse och för att uppnå syftet med litteraturöversikten. Resultat: Kvalitativa studier visar komplexiteten i begreppet medkänsla och att emotionella aspekten av vård baserad på medkänsla behöver balanseras med egenomsorg. Flera studier visar att självmedkänsla påverkar främst interrelationella sammanhang men inte organisation och arbetsplats i någon större omfattning. Individuella egenskapers kopplingar till olika komponenter i självmedkänsla lyfts som både riskfaktorer och skyddsfaktorer för utbrändhet. Variablerna perspektivförmåga och empatisk omsorg ses som främjande faktorer mot utbrändhet. Självmedkänsla kan motverka risk för utbrändhet visar ett antal studier. Slutsats: Självmedkänsla kan vara av betydelse för bättre förutsättning att hantera emotionell belastning i arbete inom vårdsektorn. Mer praktisk interventionsbaserad forskning med kontrollgrupper behövs för att avgöra effekt av självmedkänsla. / Background: Burnout is despite extensive research still an increasing public health problem in society. Research shows that burnout has a strong connection with work life and that occupational groups in the healthcare sector are particularly vulnerable. Self-compassion as a fairly new form of intervention may play a role in preventive public health work against burnout. Purpose: The purpose of this literature review is to highlight self-compassion as a preventive action against burnout in occupational groups in the healthcare sector. Method:A selection of ten scientific articles has been systematically read, coded and analyzed to obtain themes for new understanding and to achieve the purpose of the literature review. Results: Qualitative studies show the complexity of the concept of compassion and that the emotional aspect of compassion-based care needs to be balanced with self-care. Several studies show that self-compassion primarily affects interrelational contexts but not organization or workplace to the same extent. Individual properties connected to different components of self-compassion are lifted as both risk factors and protective factors. The variables of perspective taking and empathic concern are seen as promoting factors against burnout. Self-compassion can buffer against burnout, as shown in a few studies. Conclusion: Self-compassion may be of importance for better prerequisites for dealing with emotional burden in professions within the healthcare sector. More intervention-based research with control groups is needed to determine the effect of self-compassion.

Bakgrund: Sjuksköterskor är genom sitt yrke utsatta för risken att drabbas av empatitrötthet, vilket innebär avsaknad av empatiskt engagemang. Den empatiska förmågan ses som en grundläggande del av omvårdnaden, men sjuksköterskor som regelbundet utsätts för situationer där det krävs ett högt empatiskt engagemang kan tillslut utveckla empatitrötthet. Det kan medföra svårigheter, som påverkar sjuksköterskans välbefinnande och förmåga att utföra arbete, och på sikt kan empatitrötthet leda till konsekvenser både för patienten, arbetsplatsen och organisationen i stort.  Syfte: Syftet var att sammanställa faktorer som har visat sig ha en koppling till empatitrötthet hos sjuksköterskor och således skulle kunna minska eller öka risken för utveckling av empatitrötthet.  Metod: En litteraturstudie baserad på 10 vetenskapliga artiklar med kvantitativ ansats, samtliga studier utförda med mätinstrumentet ProQOL 5. Artikelsökning har genomförts i databaserna CINAHL och PubMed. Studierna har genomgått kvalitetsgranskning och evidensgradering. Resultatet har analyserats genom deskriptiv analys. Resultat: Två huvudteman har presenterats i resultatet: Demografiska faktorer samt arbetsplatsrelaterade faktorer, varav fem demografiska faktorer och tre arbetsplatsrelaterade faktorer. I sex av studierna framgick det att sjuksköterskans utbildningsnivå kan påverka utvecklingen av såväl empatisk tillfredsställelse som empatitrötthet. I fem av studierna framgick det att stöd från chef och kollegor är en annan påverkande faktor.  Konklusion: Sjuksköterskor som känner stöd från sin chef och sina kollegor samt sjuksköterskor som vidareutbildar sig och/eller får utbildning på arbetsplatsen löper mindre risk att drabbas av empatitrötthet. Nyckelord: Empati, Empatisk tillfredsställelse, Empatitrötthet, Omvårdnad, Professionell livskvalitet, Sjuksköterska / Background: Through their profession, nurses are exposed to the risk of suffering from compassion fatigue, which means a lack of empathic commitment. The empathic ability is seen as a fundamental part of nursing, but nurses who are regularly exposed to situations where a high level of empathic commitment is required can eventually develop compassion fatigue. It can lead to difficulties which affect the nurse's well-being and ability to perform work-related tasks, and in the long run, compassion fatigue can lead to consequences for the patient, the workplace and the organization. Aim: The aim was to compile factors that have been shown to be linked to compassion fatigue in nurses and thus could reduce or increase the risk of developing compassion fatigue. Method: A literature review based on 10 scientific articles with a quantitative approach, all studies performed with the measuring instrument ProQOL 5. Article searches have been performed in the databases CINAHL and PubMed. The studies have undergone quality review and evidence grading. The result has been analyzed by descriptive analysis. Results: Two main themes have been presented in the results: demographic factors and workplace-related factors, of which five demographic factors and three workplace-related factors. In six of the studies, it was shown that the nurse's educational level can affect the development of both compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. Five of the studies showed that support from managers and colleagues is another influencing factor. Conclusion: Nurses who feel supported by their manager and colleagues, as well as nurses who further their education and / or receive training in the workplace, are less likely to suffer from compassion fatigue. Keywords: Compassion fatigue, Compassion satisfaction, Empathy, Nurse, Nursing, Professional quality of life

Bakgrund: Tidigare forskning visar att de personliga attributen och sociala förmågor hos en människa utgör grunden för medlidande. Medlidande handlar om att vårdaren har modet att själv offra någonting för att kunna ta hand om den lidande personen. Compassion energy ger mening i att vårda andra och uppstår när sjuksköterskan möter patienten på ett omsorgsfullt sätt med intentionen att lindra lidande. Upplever sjuksköterskan mycket medlidande till patienten kan compassion fatigue uppstå, som är en bristande förmåga att vårda andra. Syfte: Att redogöra för sjuksköterskors upplevelser av medlidande i vårdandet av patienter i livets slutskede. Metod: Kvalitativ systematisk litteraturstudie med tillämpning av beskrivande syntes av 10 artiklar. Resultat: Två teman identifierades; Att utmanas i vårdandet som sjuksköterska samt Att sjuksköterska och patient skapar en relation, med sammanlagt fyra tillhörande subteman. Slutsats: Sjuksköterskor upplever både positiva och negativa upplevelser av medlidande, när de vårdar patienter i livets slutskede. Sjuksköterskors upplevelser både överensstämmer och avviker med patient- och anhörigas upplevelser. En del upplevelser går emot, samtidigt som andra upplevelser speglar det lagar, styrdokument och vårdvetenskaplig forskning redogör för som god vård. De negativa upplevelserna går att se som bidragande faktorer till lidande och compassion fatigue medan de positiva upplevelserna var bidragande för vårdgemenskap och compassion energy.