Combating Compassion Fatigue Discussion

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Reflecting on the Concept of Compassion Fatigue. By: Sabo, Brenda, Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 10913734, 2011, Vol. 16, Issue 1

Identify the warning signs for at least five concepts of compassion fatigue.

Five concepts that are associated with compassion fatigue include cognitive, emotional, somatic, spiritual, and behavioral concepts that are characteristic in healthcare providers suffering from compassion fatigue. The warning signs that a healthcare provider is facing these concepts of compassion fatigue include the person experiencing a loss of meaning and hope, symptoms that mirror Post Traumatic Stress Disorder including strong feelings of anxiety, a sudden difficulty concentrating on tasks, hyperactivity wherein the person is being easily startled suddenly or overly jumpy, experiencing a sudden difficulty in sleep patterns, being emotional numb excessively, or experiencing intrusive images of another's traumatic material. When healthcare workers are exposed to these feelings or signs over a period of time, this can lead to reduced empathy, hopelessness, and a diminished sense of personal safety as well as a reduced sense of self-control that can negatively harm the person as well as their patients.

The impetus for compassion fatigue emanates from the fact that its theoretical framework posits that it represents a natural consequent behavioral pattern emerging from knowledge about a traumatizing event experienced by a significant other. Healthcare workers are exposed to this emotional trauma on a regular basis and stress can easily build up from helping or wanting to help people suffering or traumatized. Although healthcare providers may provide excellent service and assistance, many patients will still suffer and die. The therapeutic relationship between the healthcare provider and the patient is a catalyst for compassion fatigue as healthcare providers are exposed to many patients ...