Evaluation of the Relationship Between Compassion Fatigue, Empathy Tendency, and Job Satisfaction in Nurses Working in Critical Units

Abstract

Objective: The stress levels of nurses working in critical units are very high because they have to manage crisis situations and encounter many deaths. Stress and fatigue experienced by nurses; while it leads to insensitivity to the needs of others and a decrease in empathy ability, over time it results in compassion fatigue and a decrease in job satisfaction. In this single-center descriptive survey study, it was aimed to investigate the levels of compassion fatigue, empathy tendency and job satisfaction in nurses working in critical units, and to examine the relationship between them. Methods: A survey study was planned with the participation of nurses working in critical units such as operating rooms, intensive care units and emergency rooms. “Introductory Information Form”, “Compassion Satisfaction Scale”, “Empathic Tendency Scale” and “Job Satisfaction Scale” were used as data collection tools. Results: As a result of this research in which 155 nurses participated; it was determined that there was a statistically significant relationship between the compassion fatigue scale, empathic tendency scale and job satisfaction scale (p<0.05). A negative relationship was determined between the “Compassion Satisfaction Scale” and the “Empathic Tendency Scale” (r= - 0.323; p<0.05), and the “Compassion Satisfaction” and “Job Satisfaction Scale” (r= -0.414 p<0.05). A significant positive relationship was found between the “Empathetic Tendency Scale” and the “Job Satisfaction Scale” (r= 0.446 p<0.05). Conclusion: Compassion fatigue caused by physiological and psychological wear and tear, which is common in nurses working in critical units, results in a decrease in empathy and job satisfaction over time. Stress and the feeling of professional burnout can be reduced by methods such as restricting and regulating working hours in relevant critical departments and improving physical and social conditions. Keywords: Nursing, critical units, compassion fatigue, job satisfaction, empathy tendency