Comvating Campassion Fatigue
Running head: COMBATING COMPASSION FATIGUE
Combating Compassion Fatigue
XXXXXX
Super University
Spirituality in Health Care
HLT-310V
XXXX
November 25, 1956
Combating Compassion Fatigue
Compassion is defined as a sympathetic consciousness of others distress together with a desire to alleviate it (Merriam. Webster.com). It has a fundamental role among the healthcare workers. Especially among nurses, when they are indulging in bedside care for their patients. It helps the patients to relieve their stress and tension. Nurses have to go through different job description during their twelve hours shift. It start from the assessment of the patient, check vital signs, carryout various safety and comfort measures, administering medication and even to participate the resuscitative measures to save the life of a person. During this period due to emotional stress and physical fatigue make a person exhausted and drained. Nurses have to undergo the sane process many days a week for many years. So there is no surprise if any health care worker is emotionally and physically tired and upset. This is called as compassion fatigue. It can be due to the over strain and stress from the work load and demand from the patient and family. Most often it happens due to the continuous work over load, stress, inadequate relaxation time, over demanding. It can leads to the health care workers to be burn out and also leads to secondary traumatization. This assignment explores about the nature and causes of five major concepts of compassion fatigue. It also address the physical, spiritual and emotional needs of the care giver and giving examples of coping strategies and resources to be used by the care giver.
Compassion fatigue is the end result of process by which in which care givers compassion ability is diminished; when he/she is caring for a sick person.
The following are the five concepts of compassion fatigue.
1. Physical exhaustion
Human body needs rest and relaxation.
Combating Compassion Fatigue
XXXXXX
Super University
Spirituality in Health Care
HLT-310V
XXXX
November 25, 1956
Combating Compassion Fatigue
Compassion is defined as a sympathetic consciousness of others distress together with a desire to alleviate it (Merriam. Webster.com). It has a fundamental role among the healthcare workers. Especially among nurses, when they are indulging in bedside care for their patients. It helps the patients to relieve their stress and tension. Nurses have to go through different job description during their twelve hours shift. It start from the assessment of the patient, check vital signs, carryout various safety and comfort measures, administering medication and even to participate the resuscitative measures to save the life of a person. During this period due to emotional stress and physical fatigue make a person exhausted and drained. Nurses have to undergo the sane process many days a week for many years. So there is no surprise if any health care worker is emotionally and physically tired and upset. This is called as compassion fatigue. It can be due to the over strain and stress from the work load and demand from the patient and family. Most often it happens due to the continuous work over load, stress, inadequate relaxation time, over demanding. It can leads to the health care workers to be burn out and also leads to secondary traumatization. This assignment explores about the nature and causes of five major concepts of compassion fatigue. It also address the physical, spiritual and emotional needs of the care giver and giving examples of coping strategies and resources to be used by the care giver.
Compassion fatigue is the end result of process by which in which care givers compassion ability is diminished; when he/she is caring for a sick person.
The following are the five concepts of compassion fatigue.
1. Physical exhaustion
Human body needs rest and relaxation.
References: Compassion fatigue in nurses Elizabeth A. Y, MSN, RN January 3(2008) Elizabeth A. Y MSN, RN January 3 (2008).Compassion fatigue in nurses. Retrieved on November 24 from http://ccare.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/CompassionFatigue_Nurses.pdf Moore, D.(2009) Causes of emotional Exhaustion. Retrieved November 24, 2012, from http://www.helium.com/items/1689857-how-to-understand-and-avoid-the-causes-of-emotional-exhaustion Kerstin L. M. MS, ACNS-BC, ACHPN (2009) Compassion fatigue in oncology nursing: A witness to suffering. Retrieved on November 24, from http://www.compassionfatigue.org/pages/oncology.pdf A study of job stress, stress coping strategies, and job satisfaction for nurses working in middle-level hospital operating rooms. (2009) Sep;17(3):199-211. Retrieved on November 24 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19738448 Definition of compassion retrieved on November 24 from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compassion