Compassion Fatigue, Compassion Satisfaction, and Burnout: Factors Impacting a Professional's Quality of Life

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between three variables, compassion fatigue (CF), compassion satisfaction (CS), and burnout, and provider and setting characteristics in a sample of 1,121 mental health providers in a rural southern state. Respondents completed the Professional Quality of Life Scale as part of a larger survey of provider practice patterns. Female gender was associated with higher levels of CF, and therapists with specialized training in trauma work reported higher levels of CS than nonspecialists. Provider discipline proved to be an important factor, with psychiatrists reporting higher levels of CF than their non-medical counterparts. When providers were compared using rural, urban, and rural with urban influence classifications, the most rural providers reported increased levels of burnout but could not be distinguished from their colleagues on the CF and CS subscales. Important practice, education, and policy implications are noted for a multidisciplinary audience. American author James Baldwin (1963) wrote, ''One can give nothing whatever without giving oneself, that is to say risking oneself'' (p. 100). Risking exposure to vicarious trauma is an inherent part of the process when working with traumatized persons. The empirical literature has documented mental health consequences of professionals' exposure to trauma patients, responses that differ depending upon individual and contextual characteristics specific to the provider and the practice setting. This study explores variables that might influence such responses to vicarious exposure to traumatic stress by examining compassion fatigue (CF), compassion

A Literature Review of Compassion Fatigue in Nursing

“…Kellar-Guenther (2006) reported that Colorado child protection workers had low levels of compassion fatigue, and Sprang & Clark (2007) studied compassion fatigue of behavioral health providers such as psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, and drug and alcohol counselors, and reported that their level of compassion fatigue was low. These results are similar to the results of this study.…”

“…However, as the concept has recently been better defined and studied, the impact of compassion fatigue is now believed reach far into other populations who often do counseling interventions with traumatized individuals. The studies about compassion fatigue, have been done for health professionals in many countries including hospice personnel (Keidel, 2002), social workers (Simon, Pryce, Roff, & Klemmack, 2005), psychiatric (Sprang & Clark, 2007), and emergency professionals (Conrad, & Kellar-Guenther, 2006). However, there has been little research in the nursing field.…”

Compassion Fatigue Among Healthcare, Emergency And Community Service Workers: A Systematic Review

“…As a result, employers and managers in the healthcare, emergency and community services sectors have very little conclusive evidence as to the best way to prevent CF, and physical and mental health outcomes, when its known risk factors-exposure to traumatised patients and clients-are inherent in the type of work that the employees supervise and undertake. occupational group such as nurses [21,22], therapists [23,24], community service workers, and healthcare professionals in hospital emergency departments or intensive care units [25]. While these studies have gone some way to illuminate how CF can be addressed, their findings cannot be generalised to working populations beyond the healthcare sector.…”

Secondary Traumatic Stress: A Fact Sheet for Child-Serving Professionals

“…Risk is also higher for professionals who carry a heavy caseload of traumatized children; are socially or organizationally isolated; or feel professionally compromised due to inadequate training. [6][7][8] Protecting against the development of secondary traumatic stress are factors such as longer duration of professional experience, and the use of evidence-based practices in the course of providing care.…”