Paper 2 Compassion Fatigue
Paper 2 Compassion Fatigue
Paper 2 Compassion Fatigue
Daniel M. Meyers
Compassion fatigue is a very prevalent issue in today’s healthcare system. The job of a
nurse, doctor, or any medical professional can be a very difficult and taxing occupation. They are
constantly exposed to traumatic events, and experiences that test their sanity, and will to continue
in the field of medicine. As this essay progresses, three areas of compassion fatigue should
become evident. What compassion fatigue is, how it can be seen in clinicians, and strategies that
Compassion fatigue is defined as losing the satisfaction that typically comes from doing
one’s job well, or job distress that outweighs your occupational satisfaction (Shepard, 2016).
Compassion fatigue is very similar to another work stress phenomenon known as burnout. They
both manifest in a very similar way, physically, and emotionally. As a healthcare professional it
is important to be able to recognize compassion fatigue so that it can be dealt with appropriately.
How it Manifests
tension, fatigue, and in a few cases, chest pain and heart palpitations have also been noted.
Emotional manifestations include mood swings, avoidance of working with certain patients,
frequently calling in sick, irritability, reduced memory, decreased concentration, and a lessened
ability to show empathy (Yoost, 2016). As one can see, compassion fatigue can greatly cripple
even the best medical professional, and thus needs to be dealt with promptly and appropriately.
One of the best ways to treat this hardship is to prevent it via the following ten ways. Get
educated on the common signs, practice self-care, set emotional boundaries, engage in outside
hobbies, keep a journal to process and release emotions, boost your resiliency, use positive
coping strategies, identify workplace strategies, and seek personal therapy if the previous
methods do not work (Good Therapy, 2016). While the best method to treat compassion fatigue
is through prevention, medical personnel do not always have the luxury of being able to avoid it.
If one finds themselves struggling with compassion fatigue it is important to realize that they are
not alone, and this is not abnormal. To then resolve the issue and be able to effectively care for
others a nurse needs to make sure that they take time to care for themselves before they attempt
to care for others. Other ways that can help relieve compassion fatigue are exercise, balanced
Conclusion
Every nurse, and member of a medical staff is susceptible to compassion fatigue. This is
why it is so vital to know what it is, how it is manifested, and strategies that will help one deal
with this struggle. As nurses and other medical staff have an understanding of these three areas
they will be tremendously effective at treating compassion fatigue in themselves and others.
DEALING WITH COMPASSION FATIGUE 4
References
Good Therapy. (2016). The cost of Caring: 10 ways to prevent Compassion Fatigue. Retrieved
from https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/the-cost-of-caring-10-ways-to-prevent-
compassion-fatigue-0209167
https://www.americannursetoday.com/compassion-fatigue/
https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9780323295574/cfi/6/106!/4/2/4/4@0:0