Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The study aim is to identify pervasiveness and factors leading to secondary traumatic stress (STS) in school personnel to increase awareness of the need for support and help for school personnel who are affected by STS. School personnel is defined in this study as all personnel employed by schools and includes, teachers, administrators, staff, resource officers, custodians, lunch aids, bus drivers, nurses, social workers, etc. School personnel work together to support students and ensure that they learn not only educational material, but also social and emotional skills. They also provide a sense of safety for students. School personnel are tasked with providing seven hours of daily support to their students; however, lack of supports, constant stressors, and exposure to secondhand accounts of trauma, put school personnel at risk for STS. This dissertation includes a review of STS in school personnel, theory used to inform and understand STS, a systematic review of STS in school personnel, a cross-sectional study of STS in school personnel from a Midwestern County, and integration of findings including practical implications and need for future research.

Studies exploring the impact of work-related traumatic stress on law enforcement couples are limited. Such studies suggest that when work-related traumatic stress impacts law enforcement professionals, their spouses may experience secondary traumatic stress and serve in a supportive role following trauma exposure. Grounded in secondary traumatic stress theory, this study explored the impact of work-related traumatic stress on law enforcement couples. Semi-structured dyadic interviews were conducted with law enforcement couples (N = 7) using transcendental phenomenology. Three themes emerged within the data that captured the essence of law enforcement couple experiences of work-related traumatic stress: (1) the stressful nature of the law enforcement profession, (2) the impact of work-related traumatic stress on the couple relationship, and (3) resilient couple characteristics. The impact of work-related traumatic stress manifested in couple's communication, role responsibilities and parenting, and commitment to the relationship and the profession. Whereas the impact of work-related traumatic events differed for the law enforcement professional and their spouse based on the type of traumatic event, overall work-related traumatic stress led couples to engage in a meaning making process and activation of resilient couple coping characteristics. Given the significant impact that work-related traumatic stress has on the law enforcement couple dyad, couples therapy interventions are needed for law enforcement professionals and their spouses. / Master of Science / Law enforcement professionals often experience symptoms of traumatic stress as a result of repeated exposure to work-related traumatic events. Spouses of law enforcement professionals may also experience secondary traumatic stress and serve in a supportive role following work-related traumatic stress exposure. This study explored the impact of work-related traumatic stress on law enforcement couples. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with law enforcement couples (N = 7) using transcendental phenomenology. Couples experienced work-related stress related to the nature of the law enforcement professional's work outside of the instances of work-related traumatic events. Job demands and expectations of police culture contributed to work-related stress along with the stress of work-related traumatic events. Three themes emerged within the data that captured the essence of law enforcement couple experiences including: (1) the stressful nature of the law enforcement profession, (2) the impact of work-related traumatic stress on the couple relationship, and (3) resilient couple characteristics. The impact of work-related traumatic stress manifested in couple's communication, role responsibilities and parenting, and commitment to the relationship and the profession. While the impact of work-related traumatic events differed for the law enforcement professional and their spouse based on the type of traumatic event, overall work-related traumatic stress led couples to engage in a meaning making process and activation of resilient couple coping characteristics. Given the significant impact that work-related traumatic stress has on the law enforcement couple dyad, interventions are needed for law enforcement couples.

Compassion fatigue (CF) är ett begrepp som introducerades som en form av utmattning för sjuksköterskor. CF utvecklas från att känna ett obehag för medlidande till att i värsta fall övergå till att sjuksköterskan permanent har svårt att känna medlidande. Compassion fatigue användes första gången 1992 och det beskrevs som att sjuksköterskor glömde saker, dess uppmärksamhet minskade och de upplevde utmattning, trötthet, ilska samt kände sig sjuka. De brydde sig mindre och mindre och till slut inte alls.Syftet med denna studie var att beskriva de faktorer som kan orsaka compassion fatigue hos sjuksköterskor inom akutsjukvård.Metoden som användes var en litteraturöversikt. Databas sökningar gjordes via PubMed, CINAHL Complete och PsycINFO varav 18 artiklar inkluderades i resultatet. I denna litteraturöversikt användes både kvalitativa, kvantitativa och mixade artiklar, skrivna mellan 2009- 2019.I resultatet framkom det att de faktorer som kan orsaka CF var sociodemografiska, sociala, arbetsrelaterade, psykologiska och övriga faktorer såsom intag av olika substanser. Bland dessa faktorer fanns stress, chefsstöd och hantering av svåra situationer i form av exempelvis PsyCap.Slutsatsen var att Compassion fatigue är vanligt förekommande bland sjuksköterskor inom akutsjukvård och bör förebyggas för att sjuksköterskor ska kunna stanna kvar i yrket och ge en god och hållbar omvårdnad. / Compassion fatigue (CF) is a concept that was introduced as a form of fatigue for nurses. CF develops from feeling uncomfortable for compassion to, in the worst case, transitioning to the fact that the nurse is permanently having difficulty feeling compassion. Compassion fatigue was first used in 1992 and it was described as nurses forgetting things, their attention diminished and they experienced fatigue, tiredness, anger and feeling sick. They cared less and less and, in the end, not at all.The purpose of this study was to describe the factors that can cause compassion fatigue in nurses in emergency care.The method used was a literature review. Database searches were done via PubMed, CINAHL complete and PsycINFO of which 18 articles were included in the result. This literature review used both qualitative, quantitative and mixed articles, written between 2009 and 2019.The results showed that the factors that could cause CF were socio-demographic, social, work-related, psychological and other factors such as the intake of various substances. Among these factors were stress, support from managers and coping with difficult situations, as for example, PsyCap.The conclusion was that Compassion fatigue is a common occurrence among nurses in emergency care and should be prevented in order for nurses to remain in the profession and provide good and sustainable nursing care.

<p>Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka risken för Compassion Fatique hos sjuksköterskor vid Akademiska sjukhuset i Uppsala. Compassion Fatigue är då en person som konsekvens av sitt empatiska engagemang gentemot en annan person blir emotionellt utmattad. En enkätstudie bland psykiatrisjuksköterskor och sjuksköterskor inom den somatiska vården gjordes, dessa jämfördes i avseende på Compassion Fatique-risk. Huvudresultatet tyder på att nästan en fjärdedel av sjuksköterskorna som grupp är i riskzonen för att utveckla Compassion Fatique och att närmare 40 % av alla deltagare var i riskzonen för att utveckla utbrändhet. 21,9 % låg under referensvärdet för Compassion Satisfaction, vilket innebär att man ej känner sig tillfredställd med sin arbetssituation.  Risken för Compassion Fatigue och utbrändhet var lika för de båda grupperna, men värdet på Compassion Satisfaction skilde sig och var lägst bland psykiatrisjuksköterskorna. Det finns dock ingen signifikant skillnad mellan psykiatrisjuksköterskorna eller de sjuksköterskor som arbetade inom somatiken gällande risk för Compassion Fatique, risk för utbrändhet eller Compassion Satisfaction. Både sjuksköterskor inom den somatiska och psykiatriska vården vid Akademiska universitessjukhuset i Uppsala visar tecken på Compassion Fatique och utbrändhet. I studien kunde även ett samband mellan utbrändhet och Compassion Fatigue påvisas.</p>

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka risken för Compassion Fatique hos sjuksköterskor vid Akademiska sjukhuset i Uppsala. Compassion Fatigue är då en person som konsekvens av sitt empatiska engagemang gentemot en annan person blir emotionellt utmattad. En enkätstudie bland psykiatrisjuksköterskor och sjuksköterskor inom den somatiska vården gjordes, dessa jämfördes i avseende på Compassion Fatique-risk. Huvudresultatet tyder på att nästan en fjärdedel av sjuksköterskorna som grupp är i riskzonen för att utveckla Compassion Fatique och att närmare 40 % av alla deltagare var i riskzonen för att utveckla utbrändhet. 21,9 % låg under referensvärdet för Compassion Satisfaction, vilket innebär att man ej känner sig tillfredställd med sin arbetssituation.  Risken för Compassion Fatigue och utbrändhet var lika för de båda grupperna, men värdet på Compassion Satisfaction skilde sig och var lägst bland psykiatrisjuksköterskorna. Det finns dock ingen signifikant skillnad mellan psykiatrisjuksköterskorna eller de sjuksköterskor som arbetade inom somatiken gällande risk för Compassion Fatique, risk för utbrändhet eller Compassion Satisfaction. Både sjuksköterskor inom den somatiska och psykiatriska vården vid Akademiska universitessjukhuset i Uppsala visar tecken på Compassion Fatique och utbrändhet. I studien kunde även ett samband mellan utbrändhet och Compassion Fatigue påvisas.

Terapeuter ingår i riskgruppen för utvecklandet av psykisk ohälsa. Det finns både risk- och skyddsfaktorer som påverkar compassion fatigue (CF) - empatitrötthet - och sekundär traumatisk stress (STS) hos terapeuter. Forskningen visar att traumaarbete upplevs såväl positivt som negativt. Syftet i föreliggande studie var att beskriva terapeuters upplevelser om CF och STS. Därtill att ta reda på om detta kunde relateras till terapeuten själv och arbetsvillkoren samt vad som tycktes ha betydelse för att undvika CF och STS. En litteraturstudie gjordes där artiklarna analyserades genom kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultatet innehåller ett huvudtema; Att arbeta med människors trauma är ett privilegium, samtidigt har det sitt pris och sju subteman. I studien diskuteras CF och STS utifrån att det som terapeut i traumaarbete är oundvikligt att drabbas samt att dessa fenomen behöver vara pratbara. Dessutom framkom källor till resiliens. / Therapists are at risk of developing mental illness. Research shows that working with traumatreatment gives both positive and negative experiences. There are both risk and protective factors that affect Compassion Fatigue (CF) and Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS). The aim of this study was to describe therapists' experiences of CS and STS. Furthermore finding out if they could be related to the therapist in person and working conditions as well as if certain elements were important to avoid CF and STS. A literature study was carried out where articles were analyzed using a qualitative content approach. The result includes a main theme; “Working with people ́s trauma is a privilege, at the same time it has its price” and seven subthemes. CF and STS are thereafter discussed based on the idea of the importance that these phenomena are known and that as a traumatherapist it is inevitable to be affected. In addition sources of resilience emerged.

The purpose of the study is to investigate social workers experiences of compassion fatigue as well as their thoughts about health and risk factors in the area. The method used is a qualitative interview study in which eight social workers, investigating child welfare matters, were individually interviewed. The study shows that most of the social workers describe their own experiences of burnout but not of secondary traumatic stress. The most important support for not suffer from compassion fatigue is to be supported and the possibility to ventilate with colleagues and managers. However, the social workers consider that the risk of burnout is primarily due to a heavy workload in terms of the number of cases and high staff turnover. Finally, the study indicates that social workers do not have experience of secondary traumatic stress because they are using tools that prevent this. However, the risk of experiencing burnout is high since they have not found strategies for managing workplace stress. / Syftet med studien är att undersöka socialarbetares upplevelser av sympatistress samt deras tankar om frisk- och riskfaktorer inom området. Metoden som använts är en kvalitativ intervjuundersökning där åtta socialarbetare, som utreder barnavårdsärenden, enskilt har intervjuats. Studien visar att de flesta av socialarbetarna beskriver att de har egna upplevelser eller erfarenheter av utbrändhet men inte av sekundär traumatisk stress. Det viktigaste stödet för att inte drabbas av sympatistress, uppger socialarbetarna, vara stöd från och möjligheten att ventilera med kollegor och chefer. Dock anser de att risken för att bli utbränd främst beror på hög arbetsbelastning, i form av mängden ärenden samt hög personalomsättning. Slutligen pekar studien på att socialarbetarna inte har upplevelser av sekundär traumatisk stress då de använder sig av verktyg som förhindrar detta. Dock är risken för att drabbas av utbrändhet hög då de ännu inte funnit strategier för att hantera påfrestningar som är kopplade till arbetsplatsen.

Some sections of the appendices are not available in the electronic copy of this thesis due to their format. The full version is available for consultation at the University of Leicester Library.

Background: Providing care to individuals with multifaceted mental health needs can be very demanding and in turn leave mental health professionals at an increased risk for compassion fatigue (CF). Comprised of Burnout (BO), Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS), and a lack of Compassion Satisfaction (CS), CF is the state of exhaustion and dysfunction, emotionally, biologically, and physiologically, due to prolonged exposure to compassion stress. CF can leave healthcare providers at an increased risk for experiencing their own health issues, contributing to tardiness and absenteeism, as well as increasing the risks for such adverse effects as clinical and medication errors, poor treatment planning, and decreased patient satisfaction. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the risk factors for CF and describe the perceptions of CF among outpatient mental health providers employed in urban community-based mental health outpatient organization. Method and Sampling: A qualitative descriptive study design utilizing two focus groups, each having four participants was conducted to assess outpatient mental health providers’perceptions of CF. Purposeful sampling of current providers in two community-based mental health outpatient organizations was performed to protect the privacy and enhance the comfort of each participant as they discussed elements of CF. Findings: Five themes were identified from the focus group analysis: the participant’s perceived definition of CF, participant perceptions of prevalence of CF in the mental health setting, participant perceptions regarding the triggers, perceived participant causes of CF, and self-care practices. These results reflect data collected in a mental health setting however, the findings are consistent with current research contributed from other specialties. Conclusion: Personal descriptions of the experiences and insights of these providers expand the current CF literature and will contribute to the development of quality improvement projects committed to reducing compassion fatigue among outpatient mental health providers.

The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences, symptoms, and effects of compassion fatigue among emergency nurses, and to identify potentially effective interventions. Compassion fatigue within the profession of nursing is of growing concern due to its negative impact on nurses' mental and physical health, productivity, and patient care. There is a notable paucity of available qualitative research related to compassion fatigue in nursing, but available quantitative data indicates that emergency nurses could be especially at risk for developing compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue is commonly conceptualized as being composed of burnout and secondary traumatic stress; however, previous exploratory research indicated that this definition might not adequately fit emergency nurses. Focus group interviews were conducted with emergency department nurses from four local hospitals. The participants were asked about their experiences, symptoms, and perceptions of the effects of compassion fatigue, and about potentially effective interventions to address compassion fatigue within their work setting. A content analysis of the interview data was performed to identify categories, common threads and patterns, and related themes. Although the participants' average length of time working in the emergency setting was less than two years, they all reported having intense experiences related to professional burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and the negative effects of compassion fatigue. The development of compassion fatigue was contributed to both organizational (time pressure and lack of resources and leadership support) and patient (clinical uncertainty, reason for seeing care, and witnessing grief) factors. The main symptoms of compassion fatigue were exhaustion, impaired communication, decreased emotional tolerance, coping with dark humor, and detachment/dissociation. These symptoms affected the participants both at work and home. The suggested potential interventions comprised of self-care activities, debriefing with clinical staff, continuing education, and increasing awareness about compassion fatigue in the work setting. The data from this qualitative descriptive study expands our knowledge of the concept and ramifications of compassion fatigue in nursing, specifically in the emergency setting. It also offers potentially effective interventions to prevent and address the negative effects of compassion fatigue.