Compassion fatigue in critical care nurses. An integrative review of the literature

Alharbi, J; Jackson, D; Usher, K

Compassion fatigue in critical care nurses. An integrative review of the literature

Alharbi, J Jackson, D

Usher, K

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Saudi medical journal, 2019, 40 (11), pp. 1087 - 1097
Issue Date:: 2019-11-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Alharbi, J	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Jackson, D https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5252-5325	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Usher, K https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9686-5003	en_US
dc.date.issued	2019-11-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Saudi medical journal, 2019, 40 (11), pp. 1087 - 1097	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0379-5284	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/137719
dc.description.abstract	OBJECTIVES: To provides a critical evaluation of current empirical evidence related to the prevalence, causes and outcomes of compassion fatigue among critical care nurses. Compassion fatigue is characterized the development of emotional, physical, and/or spiritual exhaustion as a result of working with traumatized individuals. METHODS: Data was collected using an integrated review framework via an advanced search of healthcare databases; namely, ProQuest, Science Direct, and CINAHL for research articles on compassion fatigue among nurses in critical care settings. Analysis was performed on the articles which met the inclusion criteria for this review (n=10) to identify the key themes and issues related to the compassion fatigue in critical care situations. Articles were assessed for quality and rigor using the Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies. The search was limited to research studies undertaken from 2000 to 2018. RESULTS: The main findings to emerge from this integrative review was that the prevalence of compassion fatigue among nurses varied across the range of critical care settings. In terms of the causes and consequences of compassion fatigue, this review found work environment and nurse demographics such as age and years of experience, were predictors of compassion fatigue, and the factors mitigating compassion fatigue affects among critical nurse included leader and administrative support within the clinical setting and the coping strategies employed by the nurses. CONCLUSION: There is inconclusive evidence to identify unequivocal predictors of compassion fatigue among critical nurses. However, it is likely the onset of compassion fatigue among critical care nurses may be reduced with close monitoring of physical and emotional wellbeing in the critical care environment as well as through the provision of education to nurses to assist with the development of coping strategies to avoid compassion fatigue.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Saudi medical journal	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.15537/smj.2019.11.24569	en_US
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	General & Internal Medicine	en_US
dc.title	Compassion fatigue in critical care nurses. An integrative review of the literature	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	11	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	40	en_US
utslib.for	1110 Nursing	en_US
utslib.for	11 Medical and Health Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Nursing
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.issue	11	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	40	en_US

Abstract:

OBJECTIVES: To provides a critical evaluation of current empirical evidence related to the prevalence, causes and outcomes of compassion fatigue among critical care nurses. Compassion fatigue is characterized the development of emotional, physical, and/or spiritual exhaustion as a result of working with traumatized individuals. METHODS: Data was collected using an integrated review framework via an advanced search of healthcare databases; namely, ProQuest, Science Direct, and CINAHL for research articles on compassion fatigue among nurses in critical care settings. Analysis was performed on the articles which met the inclusion criteria for this review (n=10) to identify the key themes and issues related to the compassion fatigue in critical care situations. Articles were assessed for quality and rigor using the Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies. The search was limited to research studies undertaken from 2000 to 2018. RESULTS: The main findings to emerge from this integrative review was that the prevalence of compassion fatigue among nurses varied across the range of critical care settings. In terms of the causes and consequences of compassion fatigue, this review found work environment and nurse demographics such as age and years of experience, were predictors of compassion fatigue, and the factors mitigating compassion fatigue affects among critical nurse included leader and administrative support within the clinical setting and the coping strategies employed by the nurses. CONCLUSION: There is inconclusive evidence to identify unequivocal predictors of compassion fatigue among critical nurses. However, it is likely the onset of compassion fatigue among critical care nurses may be reduced with close monitoring of physical and emotional wellbeing in the critical care environment as well as through the provision of education to nurses to assist with the development of coping strategies to avoid compassion fatigue.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/137719