Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Research and clinical interest in self-compassion has grown due to its positive links with a variety of physical and psychological health outcomes. This burgeoning interest calls for measures of self-compassion that are theoretically supported and empirically validated. The purpose of this project was to (1) develop a new self-compassion measure, the Self-compassion Inventory (SCI), and (2) test its psychometric properties. To obtain feedback on potential SCI items, a cognitive interviewing study was completed with cancer patients (n = 10). Qualitative findings suggested that, in most cases, items were easily understood and participants’ reasoning for their responses aligned with the intention of each item. After altering certain items based on participant feedback, the scale was then tested with a group of adults with breast, gastrointestinal, lung, and prostate cancer (n = 404). Confirmatory factor analyses suggested a unidimensional structure and internal consistency reliability was excellent. Construct validity of the measure was established through correlations with other psychological variables hypothesized to be related to self-compassion. Evidence of the incremental validity of the SCI relative to the Self-Compassion Scale Short-Form (SCS-SF) also was obtained. For example, the SCI showed smaller correlations with negative psychological variables (e.g., depressive symptoms, anxiety) than the SCS-SF. In supplemental analyses, a 5-item version of the measure, the Brief Self-compassion Inventory (BSCI) was tested and found to have a unidimensional structure, excellent internal consistency, and evidence of validity. Furthermore, measurement invariance testing of the BSCI indicated that the measure could be used across populations of varying genders, cancer types, and stages of illness. Through robust testing, the SCI and BSCI were determined to be psychometrically sound and can be used in both clinical and research settings.

Veterinary medicine is an intense profession that begins with rigorous and demanding veterinary training. Within veterinary training, technical competencies generally receive more attention and emphasis than non-technical competencies, leaving many veterinarians at increased risk for compassion fatigue and other forms of mental illness. Two non-technical competencies that need further empirical investigation are communication and the influence of compassion on veterinarians. Communication is central to veterinary success; communication style was measured using the Communication Styles Inventory. Compassion has been recognized as having both positive effects (satisfaction) and negative effects (fatigue); compassion experiences were measured using a version of the Professional Quality of Life Scale. This research study investigated the relationship between compassion experiences and communication styles of 4th-year veterinarians-in-training using a canonical correlation analysis. Differences in compassion experiences and in communication styles among men and women veterinarians-in-training were investigated using 2 one-way MANOVAs. Results indicated that communication style of 4th-year veterinary students is statistically significantly related to their compassion experiences (n = 281; Function 1, Rc = .552, p < .001; Function 2,Rc = .369, p < .001). Compassion fatigue was found to have a statistically significant association with the communication styles of Emotionality (r = .467, p < .001), Impression Manipulativeness (r = .191, p = .001), and Verbal Aggressiveness (r = .239, p = .001). Compassion satisfaction was found to have a statistically significant association with the communication style of Expressiveness (r = -.326, p = .001). Men and women veterinarians-in-training showed statistically significantly different communication styles (p < .001), with women showing higher levels of Emotionality (p = .001) and men showing higher levels of Impression Manipulativeness (p = .005). Men and women veterinarians-in-training showed statistically significantly different compassion experiences (p = .044); however, univariate effects yielded no significant differences in levels of fatigue or satisfaction. Using the Compassion Fatigue Resilience Model as the theoretical framework, results indicate that veterinary training programs should consider providing specific training that will help students build skills and resources to help manage their styles of communication to decrease risk of developing compassion fatigue and increase levels of compassion satisfaction.

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Past research indicates that self-compassion has positive implications for psychological health and functioning. However, as a newly specified construct, the literature regarding self-compassion could benefit from a more thorough validation of the primary scale used in this area of research, the Self-Compassion Scale. In the present study, structural path analysis (using Amos) was used to explore the criterion validity of the SCS with four variables which have been theorized to be relevant to self-compassion (caregiver emotional responsiveness, fear of emotion, internalized spirituality, and achievement goal orientation). Initial hypothesis testing indicated support for the path model, with the exception of achievement goals which were not significantly associated with self-compassion. Trimming these paths in a subsequent analysis improved model fit. Interestingly, further analyses of the model indicated that the pairing of participant and parent gender produced substantial differences in path coefficients. Next, correlational and factor analytic methods were used to test the construct validity of the SCS. Correlational analyses found adequate convergent construct validity but some lack of divergent validity between SCS dimensions and conceptually similar constructs (i.e., fear of emotion, social connectedness and self-criticism). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a two-factor model fit the data better than the one-factor model proposed by the author of the SCS. The incremental validity of the two-factor model was supported by incorporating a two-factor SCS in the path analysis. In sum, these findings generally support the criterion validity of the SCS through meaningful associations with theoretically relevant variables but cautions that these associations are strongly influenced by gender. It is also strongly recommended that a two-factor model of the SCS be explored in further research to ascertain its incremental utility for understanding self-compassion’s positive effects on psychological health.

Compassion fatigue (CF) is defined as a sudden onset of the inability to experience feelings or compassion for others that is triggered by a nurse's inability to separate his/her feelings of stress and anxiety associated with caring for patients who have suffered from a traumatic event. The practice problem addressed in this doctoral project was the lack of knowledge of emergency department nurses (EDNs) related to CF in the work setting, resulting in a negative impact on a nurse's ability to provide quality care to patients. The purpose of the project was to present an educational program on how to recognize, prevent, and manage CF. Framed within Stamm's theoretical model of compassion satisfaction and CF, the project was guided by the steps within the Walden University Manual for Staff Education Project and the practice question addressed whether the literature would support an evidence-based educational program on CF for EDNs. The evaluation/validation for the project included an evaluation of the curriculum by the three content experts (in which learning objectives were deemed met), content validation of the pre-/post-test items by the content experts (all test items were deemed relevant to the learning objectives, with the validity index scale analysis at 1.00), and finally, a paired t test to determine knowledge gained from pre- to post-test that resulted in a significant (p < 0.0001) improvement in knowledge. A potential positive social change resulting from the project is a healthy work environment where EDNs understand and reduce their risks for CF, which may ultimately promote optimal patient care and improved health outcomes.

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Bakgrund: Sjuksköterskor som är medkännande till patienter och samtidigt utsätts för stress och press beskriver att de kan drabbas av compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue påverkar sjuksköterskors hälsa negativt vilket kan orsaka att vissa lämnar professionen samt att patienter beskriver en sämre personcentrerad vård. Den personcentrerade vården påverkas av sjuksköterskornas mående, det är av vikt att lyfta fram vad som kan bidra till att få compassion energy. Compassion energy ger sjuksköterskorna kraften till att orka vara medmänniska till patienten och erfara välbefinnande i professionen. Syfte: Att skapa en översikt av sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av vad som kan bidra till compassion energy i omvårdnaden av patienter. Metod: En allmän litteraturöversikt utfördes. Datainsamling resulterade i 13 artiklar från databaserna Cinahl Plus och PubMed som analyserades. Resultat: Teman identifierades i resultatet som kunde bidra till sjuksköterskors compassion energy; Socialt stöd, Kunskap och erfarenhet och Egenvård. Slutsats: Examensarbetet lyfter fram betydelsen av socialt stöd, kunskap och erfarenhet samt egenvård som strategier för sjuksköterskan att få compassion energy. Sjuksköterskan kan uppnå compassion energy genom self-compassion, att ta hand om sig själv. När sjuksköterskor beskriver att de har välbefinnande kan det bidra det till en bättre personcentrerad vård. / Background: Nurses who are compassionate to patients and at the same time exposed to stress and pressure describes that they may suffer from compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue has a negative effect on nurses’ health, which can cause some to leave the profession and patients to describes poorer person centered care. Person-centered care is affected by the nurses' health, it is important to illustrate what can contribute to find compassion energy. Compassion energy gives nurses the power to be a fellow human being to the patient and experience satisfaction in the profession. Aim: To create an overview of nurses’ experiences of what can contribute to compassion energy in the care of patients. Method: A General literature review. Data resulted in 13 articles from the databeses Cinahl Plus and Pubmed that were analyzed. Results: Themes were identified in the results that could contribute to nurses' compassion energy; Social support, Knowledge and experience and Self-care. Conclusion: The thesis highlights the importance of social support, knowledge and experience, and self-care as strategies for the nurse to receive compassion energy. The nurse can achieve compassion energy through self-compassion, taking care of oneself. When nurses describes having wellbeing, it may contributes to better person-centered care.

No description available.

Bakgrund: Compassion fatigue beskrivs som en utbrändhet bland vårdpersonal på grund av stress från att arbeta med utsatta människor. I sjuksköterskans fall patienter som drabbats av sjukdom och lidande och dennes anhöriga. Detta begrepp är relativt nytt och outforskat i den svenska vårdmiljön. Utmattningssyndrom och stressrelaterade tillstånd är vanliga orsaker till sjukskrivningar, vilket i sjuksköterskans fall drabbar såväl dennes välbefinnande som kvaliteten på vården. Syfte: Var att beskriva sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av compassion fatigue. Metod: En systematisk litteraturöversikt med tio vetenskapliga artiklar av kvalitativ design. Artiklarnas resultat tematiserades baserat på likheter i sjuksköterskornas erfarenheter. Resultatet diskuteras utifrån Watsons teori om mänsklig omsorg samt tidigare forskning inom ämnet. Resultat: Tre teman identifierades; känslomässig distansering, arbetsmiljö, stress och egenvård och compassion fatigue och privatlivet. Sjuksköterskorna beskriver hur den ständiga exponeringen till lidande, döden och smärta från patienter och dennes anhöriga gör att de stänger av sina egna känslor för att orka med. Egenvård och finna tid för återhämtning är viktiga faktorer för att hantera compassion fatigue. Arbetsplatsens förutsättningar var även en viktig faktor för om sjuksköterskorna utvecklade compassion fatigue samt för deras möjlighet att hantera det. Sjuksköterskorna beskriver även hur compassion fatigue var något drabbade dem privat då de upplevde att de på sin fritid hade mindre ork samt att de var känslomässigt avstängda även mot sina nära och kära. Slutsats: Denna litteraturöversikt visade att compassion fatigue påverkar sjuksköterskors välbefinnande i såväl arbetslivet som privatlivet. Compassion fatigue påverkar även sjuksköterskors möjlighet att bedriva etisk och personcentrerad vård. Sjuksköterskorna beskrev ett ökat behov av återhämtning och egenvård utanför arbetet för att hantera compassion fatigue. Arbetsmiljöfaktorer som arbetsbörda, tillgång till professionellt stöd och adekvat bemanning var avgörande för att hantera compassion fatigue. Resultatet, i linje med tidigare forskning, indikerar att compassion fatigue riskerar att minska sjuksköterskors förmåga till empatisk vård och kan till och få dem att överväga att byta yrke. Litteraturöversikten betonar vikten av arbetsplatsens roll i att hantera och förebygga compassion fatigue hos sjuksköterskor. / Background: Compassion fatigue is described as burnout among healthcare professionals due to the stress of working with vulnerable individuals. In the case of nurses, this includes patients affected by illness and suffering, as well as their relatives. This concept is relatively new and unexplored in the Swedish healthcare environment. Exhaustion syndrome and stress-related conditions are common causes of sick leave, affecting both the nurse's well-being and the quality of care. Aim: Describe nurses' experiences of compassion fatigue. Method: A systematic literature review comprising ten scholarly articles of qualitative design. The findings of the articles were thematically analyzed, focusing on similarities in nurses' experiences. The results are discussed based on Watson's theory of human caring and previous research in the field. Results Three themes were identified: emotional distancing, work environment, stress and self-care, and compassion fatigue and private life. Nurses described how continuous exposure to suffering, death, and pain from patients and their families leads them to detach from their own emotions in order to cope. Self-care and finding time for recovery were crucial factors in managing compassion fatigue. Workplace conditions were also pivotal in determining whether nurses developed compassion fatigue and their ability to cope with it. Nurses also described how compassion fatigue affected them personally, feeling less energy during their leisure time and emotionally detached even from their loved ones. Conclusions: This literature review demonstrated that compassion fatigue impacts nurses' well-being both professionally and personally. It also affects nurses' ability to provide ethical and patient-centered care. Nurses expressed an increased need for recovery and self-care outside of work to cope with compassion fatigue. Workplace factors such as workload, access to professional support, and adequate staffing were crucial in managing compassion fatigue. The findings, consistent with prior research, suggest that compassion fatigue might diminish nurses' capacity for empathetic care and could prompt them to consider changing professions. The review emphasizes the workplaces significance in addressing and preventing compassion fatigue among nurses.

Bakgrund: God vård kännetecknades av medlidande. Sjuksköterskors yrke innebar möten med både glädje och sorg. Flertalet faktorer kunde leda till att sjuksköterskor drabbades av compassion fatigue. Patienters välbefinnande främjades av sjuksköterskors medlidande. Syfte: Beskriva hur sjuksköterskor finner kraft till att vårda. Metod: En allmän litteraturöversikt genomfördes. Tolv artiklar valdes, varav nio kvalitativa och tre kvantitativa. Resultat: Närvarande chefer och kollegor var en viktig faktor för att sjuksköterskor fann kraft till att vårda. Det var viktigt för sjuksköterskor att få chans till kompetensutveckling och möta utmaningar på arbetet. Arbetserfarenhet visade sig ha en positiv påverkan på hur sjuksköterskor fann kraft till att vårda. Många sjuksköterskor upplevde ett kall och en inneboende vilja att vårda som en bidragande faktor som ökade kraften till att vårda. Det var viktigt med återhämtning samt att värna om sig själv för att sjuksköterskor skulle behålla kraften till att vårda. Slutsats: Genom en arbetsplats med närvarande och förstående chefer där kunskap och samarbete fungerade bra främjades sjuksköterskors kompetensutveckling. Detta i kombination med inre vilja att vårda, arbetserfarenhet och återhämtning bidrog till kraft att vårda. Genom att sjuksköterskor hade kraft till att vårda kunde en vård präglad av medlidande ges. / Background: Good care should be recognized as compassion. The nursing profession involved encounters with both joy and sorrow. Many factors could lead nurses to experience compassion fatigue. Patients’ well-being was enchanted by nurses’ compassion. Aim: To describe how nurses find strength to provide care. Method: A general literature review was performed. Twelve articles were chosen, nine qualitative and three quantitative. Result: Present supervisors and colleagues were important factors for nurses’ strength to care. It was important for nurses to get the opportunity for knowledge and competence development and to meet challenges at work. Work experience was found to have a positive influence on how nurses found strength to care. Many nurses experienced a vocation and an inherent will to care as a contributive factor that increased the strength to care. It was important with self-care and recovery for the nurses to keep the strength to care. Conclusion: Trough a workplace with present and understanding supervisors and where knowledge and collegial cooperation worked well, nurses’ competence development was promoted. This in combination with inherent will to care, work experience and recovery contributed to the strength to care. Because nurses had the strength to care, care characterized by compassion could be given.