The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors of social worker and allied professional’s professional quality of life, particularly the impact of the professional’s childhood psychological abuse on compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction scores. Variables such as perceived resilience, social support, childhood psychological abuse, evidence-based practice training, years of experience, percentage of clients with trauma narratives, and case-load number are explored both conceptually and as risk or protective factors to social worker and allied professional’s compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction. A conceptual model is provided to visually show the direction of the proposed research. The sample to be used in this research consists of two-hundred-eighteen social worker and allied professionals in the United States who predominantly have a master’s degree or higher. A simple correlation analysis will be used to see any direct correlations between variables used in this study: childhood psychological abuse and its three components, compassion satisfaction, burnout, compassion fatigue, perceived resilience, social support and its three components, evidence-based training, education level, caseload, percentage of client trauma, and years of experience in the field. Multiple regression analysis will also be utilized in this research study to identify any relationship between the aforementioned variables and compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. In focusing on the research question for this study, an examination of the simple correlational matrix found, for this sample of MSW social workers and allied professionals, no significant correlation between childhood psychological abuse and compassion fatigue or compassion satisfaction. Additionally, in running two separate regression models, one for predicting compassion fatigue and one for predicting compassion satisfaction, childhood psychological abuse was not a significant predictor for this sample’s study. Findings from this study disagree with the only study that attempts to measure childhood psychological abuse of the social worker and their reaction to secondary traumatic stress (Nelson-Gardell & Harris, 2004). There are two main differences between the two study samples: education, training level, and work experience, perhaps suggesting that social workers who are master’s level educated or higher are better protected from compassion fatigue related symptomology, or that the Nelson-Gardell & Harris study’s predominantly child welfare worker sample is encountering client trauma in a way that is unique from this study’s sample. Implications from this study’s findings are explored suggesting further research into the effects of education and evidence-based training as a protective factor from the effects of childhood psychological abuse on compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit social workers are a particularly vulnerable group of professionals due to their chronic exposure to trauma. Current research has overlooked how social workers specifically can adopt certain strategies and coping mechanisms to prevent the symptoms associated with primary trauma, secondary trauma stress, compassion fatigue, and burnout. Thus, the study that follows was designed to explore the strategies and coping mechanisms utilized by NICU and PICU social workers. Data for this project was collected through the use of open-ended questions in an electronic survey format and analyzed through a conventional content analysis approach. Seven participants fully completed the survey and thus only their responses were considered in the analysis. Results of this study indicate the need for NICU and PICU social workers to gain additional education and training on primary trauma, secondary trauma stress, compassion fatigue and burnout so that they can actively participate in prevention. NICU and PICU social workers reported a range of strategies and coping mechanisms including the awareness of personal and professional barriers, consultation, exercise, among others. This study provides crucial information to an understudied area of research, provides a foundation for future research, and promotes the use of positive strategies and coping mechanisms by NICU and PICU social workers so that they can continue to provide the best services possible for the patients they serve.

Staff in skilled nursing facilities (SNF) can experience physical and emotional strain via caregiving. The purpose of this study was to educate staff on the harm of compassion fatigue and a lack of emotional intelligence and provide steps that can be taken by administration to improve the quality of care provided. It was hypothesized for staff that having low compassion fatigue and high emotional intelligence would result in a higher quality of care. The study design utilized a quantitative approach and a purposive sample from a SNF. Participants were provided with The Professional Quality of Life 5 Scale (ProQoL 5), Wong & Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS), and survey data received from Department of Public Health. A Multiple Regression test analyzed the relationship between compassion fatigue and emotional intelligence on the quality of care provided by staff members. The results of this study indicated that staff’s compassion fatigue was not indicative of quality of care; however, Self-Emotional Appraisal, a subscale of WLEIS, was found to predict the quality of care. This study assisted with informing SNF staff in recognizing how managing their emotions could be a useful tool to improve the quality of care they provide. Lastly, SNF administration could implement policies, procedures, and in-services to ensure that all staff members are educated in identifying emotions and practicing self-care

The goals of this research study were to determine if clergy members were prone to experiencing compassion fatigue and to identify the self-care methods they currently employ. Compassion fatigue can affect anyone in a helping profession and is considered to be a component of burnout. With the use of qualitative interviews, the views of pastors will be used to explain their understanding of compassion fatigue and their implementation of self-care. Data will also be collected to describe the methods of self-care the clergy members utilize when their levels of compassion fatigue presentation are prominent. Audio information gathered from the interviews, and demographic, compassion satisfaction and self-care surveys will be used, and a thematic and phenomena analysis will be created to analyze the data collected. This research will contribute to the collaborative efforts of churches and social workers to increase public awareness of compassion fatigue and self-care deficits that pastors are experiencing and that churches are observing within their faith communities. This can be beneficial in helping communities to effect positive change within the community.

Social workers in child protective services often handle hundreds of cases regarding children traumatized by abuse and/or neglect. In time, social workers' experiences can become emotionally and psychologically challenging. A problem for supervising child protection social workers (SCPSWs) is that they might experience the same challenges; however, there was no research that described the lived experiences of SCPSWs. This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of SCPSWs. Conceptually, constructivist self-development theory (CSDT) provided the framework for understanding how SCPSWs managed their lived experiences and the issues related to them. Ten SCPSWs volunteered their time for face-to-face interviews and provided data for this study. Saldana's coding manual was used to guide the identification and coding of key words and phrases. SCPSWs experienced occupational trauma in the form of vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and/or burnout similar to that experienced by front line workers. SCPSWs' experiences required them to set boundaries, stop taking work home and support each other in the workplace. Enhanced resources for training on self-care plus increased administrative and peer support could potentially improve the lives of these SCPSWs and increase their longevity and effectiveness in the workplace. Retaining experienced supervisors also has the potential to promote positive social change by improving the support supervisors can provide to front line staff, thus indirectly helping children, families, and communities they serve.

Compassion fatigue is a secondary stress reaction that results from providing care to those undergoing traumatic life events. Frequent exposure to dying patients with complex medical concerns has been identified as a contributing factor to compassion fatigue and resultant turnover among hospice nurses. The purpose of this project was to assess whether the provision of education to hospice nurses regarding compassion fatigue resulted in a demonstrable improvement in their levels of compassion fatigue. Watson's theory of human caring and Roy's adaptation model provided the theoretical foundation for this project. The practice-focused question for this project asked whether a reduction in compassion fatigue among hospice nurses would result after providing them with educational material focused on compassion fatigue. Twenty-three hospice nurse participants were administered Stamm's Professional Quality of Life Scale to measure their compassion fatigue levels before and after being presented with an educational booklet. Scores for this project were compared using a before-and-after quality improvement design and percent difference to measure the impact of the educational offering. Results demonstrated an 8.6% reduction in compassion fatigue among the hospice nurse participants, indicating that educational interventions support a positive effect in reducing compassion fatigue. Positive social change might result from this project by improving nurses' awareness of the need for self-care that contributes to resiliency and prevention of compassion fatigue.

Few existing studies have examined compassion fatigue among emergency responders even though firefighters and emergency medical service (EMS) professionals have repetitive direct exposure to traumatic events. This study focused on identifying predictor variables for the development of compassion fatigue in firefighters. Karasek's demand-control model, a commonly used work stress model, was the study's theoretical framework as it focuses on specific construct interactions that predict employee well-being. Accordingly, this correlational study examined the predictive nature of EMS license level, years of service, and personality type on the development of compassion fatigue in career firefighters. Data collection occurred with surveys incorporating the Professional Quality of Life Scale and the Big Five Inventory. Mid-Michigan fire departments participated with 129 career firefighters returning completed surveys with results analyzed using logistic regression. Findings revealed a significant predictive relationship between personality traits and the development of compassion fatigue. These findings can inform preventative measures that protect the psychological well-being of these emergency responders by informing and educating the professionals and organizations as to who is at greatest risk and ultimately providing opportunity for risk mediation.

Magister Curationis - MCur / Background: Psychiatric observation units are the units where 72-hour psychiatric observations are conducted in the district and in some of the regional hospitals. These hospitals were selected under the Mental Health Care Act No. 17 of 2002 (MHCA 2002) to admit patients suspected to be mentally ill, ascertain the cause of symptoms, exclude medical illness as a cause of the symptoms, treat and rehabilitate these patients; and at times transfer the patients to tertiary psychiatric hospitals. These units are often overcrowded as only about 30% of patients are transferred to the tertiary psychiatric hospitals. These units are fraught with challenges such as shortage of crucial facilities like seclusion rooms, specialised staff, resources and minimal budget is allocated to these units. Nursing staff in these units are faced with a number of challenges such as shortage of staff, patient overflow, prolonged patient stay, psychologically disturbed patients who can be agitated and violent, and are working long hours. Therefore, Compassion Satisfaction may be affected and these nurses are prone to Compassion Fatigue, which can lead to low Professional Quality of Life. Aim & objectives: The aim was to investigate Professional Quality of Life among nurses working in psychiatric observation units in Metropole District Health Services in the Western Cape Metropole. The objectives were to measure Compassion Satisfaction, to measure levels of Burnout and determine levels of Secondary Traumatic Stress among nurses working in psychiatric observation units in the Metropole District Health Services. Method: A quantitative research approach using a descriptive design was used to determine the Professional Quality of Life of nurses working in psychiatric observation units in the Metropole District Health Services. A self-administered survey using a structured questionnaire, the Professional Quality of Life version 5 (ProQoL 5) was used to collect data from an all-inclusive sample of 175 nurses, yielding a response rate of 93% (n=163). Data was analysed using the Statistical Package of Social Services (SPSS) version 24. Findings: The findings of this study showed that respondents experienced moderate Compassion Satisfaction, moderate Burnout and high Secondary Traumatic Stress. Advanced psychiatric nurse practitioners and registered nurses reported lower Compassion Satisfaction, higher Burnout and higher Secondary Traumatic Stress than enrolled nurses and enrolled nursing assistants. Recommendations: Qualitative research studies need to be conducted on nurses working in psychiatric observation units in order to understand experiences and factors affecting Professional Quality of Life among nurses. Qualitative research studies need to be conducted in order to understand factors affecting Professional Quality of Life of advanced psychiatric nurse practitioners and general registered nurses in psychiatric observations units.

The purpose of this dissertation study was to increase understanding of licensed mental health professionals' experiences as they have encountered and navigated through compassion fatigue (CF). CF is a complex construct with an attendant constellation of secondary stress responses. In order to examine the complex and varying factors associated with experiencing CF, the research was conducted using a grounded theory, qualitative approach and methodology. Nine licensed mental health professionals across the disciplines of marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, professional counseling, psychology, and social work were individually interviewed three times, for a total of at least 180 minutes. All interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed. As a result of the analyses, four main categories emerged, experiencing internal dissonance, recognizing and processing the effects, becoming intentional, and creating ongoing changes. Becoming intentional is the central category because of its central and pivotal relationship to the whole process of participants' experience of encountering and navigating through CF. This fulcrum punctuates participants' experiences leading up to becoming intentional and those which came after as delineated in the other three categories of the theory. Prior to becoming intentional, participants experienced internal dissonance, which escalated to distress or crisis. When this distress or crisis reached a point where it became untenable, participants recognized and processed the effects. One of the effects which participants came to recognize was a loss of internal locus of control. Becoming intentional served as a catalyst for participants to take action and recapture their locus of control. The process of becoming intentional is reflected in three practices, transforming perceptions, developing support, and making professional changes. These findings are applicable to a variety of models of counseling, supervision, counselor education, and clinical practice in either a single or interdisciplinary setting. / Graduation date: 2013

Thesis (M.A. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.