Role Of Combating Compassion Fatigue In Nursing
Running head: COMBATING COMPASSION FATIGUE
Combating Compassion Fatigue
Erika Romero
Grand Canyon University
Spirituality in Healthcare
Combatting Passion Fatigue If you ask anyone in the field of healthcare, they will tell you that nursing is a very demanding profession. Many nurses feel weighed down by the emotional and physical demands of their chosen career. They may feel that their efforts go without acknowledgement. They may feel overwhelmed by their workload and feel they do not have adequate support or recourses to confidently and efficiently perform their roles. Part of the nurse’s role is to exhibit compassion for patients and their family members. Yet, compassion is an emotion that requires inner conviction …show more content…
Some emotional symptoms to identify are anxiety, low self- esteem, powerlessness, and anger. Physical symptoms that are common are irritability, sleeplessness, and somatic pains. Environmental and emotional stressors of the workplace are what contribute to compassion fatigue. All caregivers at risk fro developing compassion fatigue, yet some may be more susceptible than others. All caregivers are at risk for developing compassion fatigue, yet there are some that may be more susceptible than others. Every person responds to emotional and environmental stressors differently. Some have a larger capacity for it than others. A shortage in staff results in a heavy workload for nurses. Nurses become fatigued when they are continually required to perform tasks alone that are best performed by a team.
Unfair treatment of workers is perceived when evaluations, promotions, compensation and benefits are not applied fairly (Espeland, 2006). When a nurse’s hard work goes unnoticed and unrewarded, this may result in feelings of hopelessness. Self-conflict is an important stressor that should be mentioned. Nurses tend to be very ambitious and have high expectations …show more content…
This is because they are less prepared for role ambiguity, heavy workloads, and changing environments (Espeland, 2006). Bearing the suffering of others over a length of time is a big factor in the development of compassion fatigue. A nurse should be able to recognize their own individual risk for compassion fatigue and understand how to guard against it.
Overcoming Burnout To change from a burnout state, we need to change our thought processes and viewpoints about the people and things that may have contributed to our burnout (Espeland, 2006). A nurse needs to actively take control of their situation instead of waiting for their situation to change on its own. By setting realistic goals for themselves and prioritizing important aspects of their life, the nurse can begin overcoming the state of compassion fatigue. It’s important to realize our personal limits. We can strive to perform at our optimal best without attempting to achieve perfection, which is impossible for anyone. We always have control of our own attitude. When we strive to maintain a positive outlook, we minimize feelings of compassion fatigue. It is inevitable that we will face challenges and adversity on our career path. Utilizing adversity as
Combating Compassion Fatigue
Erika Romero
Grand Canyon University
Spirituality in Healthcare
Combatting Passion Fatigue If you ask anyone in the field of healthcare, they will tell you that nursing is a very demanding profession. Many nurses feel weighed down by the emotional and physical demands of their chosen career. They may feel that their efforts go without acknowledgement. They may feel overwhelmed by their workload and feel they do not have adequate support or recourses to confidently and efficiently perform their roles. Part of the nurse’s role is to exhibit compassion for patients and their family members. Yet, compassion is an emotion that requires inner conviction …show more content…
Some emotional symptoms to identify are anxiety, low self- esteem, powerlessness, and anger. Physical symptoms that are common are irritability, sleeplessness, and somatic pains. Environmental and emotional stressors of the workplace are what contribute to compassion fatigue. All caregivers at risk fro developing compassion fatigue, yet some may be more susceptible than others. All caregivers are at risk for developing compassion fatigue, yet there are some that may be more susceptible than others. Every person responds to emotional and environmental stressors differently. Some have a larger capacity for it than others. A shortage in staff results in a heavy workload for nurses. Nurses become fatigued when they are continually required to perform tasks alone that are best performed by a team.
Unfair treatment of workers is perceived when evaluations, promotions, compensation and benefits are not applied fairly (Espeland, 2006). When a nurse’s hard work goes unnoticed and unrewarded, this may result in feelings of hopelessness. Self-conflict is an important stressor that should be mentioned. Nurses tend to be very ambitious and have high expectations …show more content…
This is because they are less prepared for role ambiguity, heavy workloads, and changing environments (Espeland, 2006). Bearing the suffering of others over a length of time is a big factor in the development of compassion fatigue. A nurse should be able to recognize their own individual risk for compassion fatigue and understand how to guard against it.
Overcoming Burnout To change from a burnout state, we need to change our thought processes and viewpoints about the people and things that may have contributed to our burnout (Espeland, 2006). A nurse needs to actively take control of their situation instead of waiting for their situation to change on its own. By setting realistic goals for themselves and prioritizing important aspects of their life, the nurse can begin overcoming the state of compassion fatigue. It’s important to realize our personal limits. We can strive to perform at our optimal best without attempting to achieve perfection, which is impossible for anyone. We always have control of our own attitude. When we strive to maintain a positive outlook, we minimize feelings of compassion fatigue. It is inevitable that we will face challenges and adversity on our career path. Utilizing adversity as