I am in the middle of a research project for completion of my RN-BSN program. I would appreciate any leads on any knowledge or work being done on this subject.
The Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project is dedicated to educating caregivers about authentic, sustainable self-care and aiding organizations in their goal of providing healthy, compassionate care to those whom they serve.
Try to search the web: www.healthycaregiving.com
Hope this will help.
Not specifically on compassion fatigue but on stress in nurses returning to work: Weigel C, Fanning L, Parker G, Round T 2007 The labyrinth as a stress reduction tool for nurse interns during the journey of their first eyar in practice Healing Ministry 14(3), 19
Although not directly in relation to compassion fatigue, Sigma Theta Tau International has featured the concept of self renewal quite alot. It was most highlighted during Daniel Pesut's presidency. Here is a link giving his views of renewal of self http://www.americannursetoday.com/article.aspx?id=4648&fid=4598
I know they have at least one book on renewal as well - and although the focus of renewal is on the flip side of compassion fatigue and other types of burnout, the information may be helpful.
Doris there are many articles published on compassion fatigue as well as on the alternative of self compassion and compassion energy. A recent PhD on compassion within the relationship between the nurse and the older adult patient is based on acute care settings and is written by Mary Susan Walker (2009) in the USA. Also look at Gustin and Wagner (2013) The Butterfly Effect of Caring.
Chief Nursing Officer Jane Cummings comment in a Report by the Department of Health that "Delivering compassionate nursing care requires 'time, resources and consistency'".
(found in Community Practitioner; Jan 2013; 86, 1; ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Source pg. 9;)
The reports views on the UK Health care do have similarities the health care given in Sweden. Among nurses in Sweden, their union (Vårdförbundet), report about compassion fattigue in the work nurses do. This is increased if you constantly do not have sufficient support from leadership, which Jane Cummings also report.
In Sweden there is also a gliding tendency to let next of kins take over care support where previously healthcare did give that support. The risk of compassion fattigue among relatives is well known and do also consist of to have the risk of feelings of guilt towards the patient due to fattigue.
The IOM report published in 1999 'To Err is Human' may have some information on compassion fatigue. It is accessible through the National Academies Press for free as a pdf. Also, check out the APA website, as compassion fatigue is being considered to be categorized as a secondary PTSD.
My wife is an Occupational Therapist currently working on an advanced degree. Her project is to teach both practitioners and fieldwork students a process commonly known as "Mindfulness" which when properly utilized, has been shown to reduce overall stress in health care practitioners as well as patients with chronic disease. Compassion fatigue, quotas, and completing mountains of paperwork are all stressors which not only reduce quality of life for health care workers, but indirectly affect their ability to provide quality care to their patients. Whatever program or activity that reduces the effect of these stressors would be a very positive move in improving the lives and attitudes for those who provide patient care.
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