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Compassion fatigue in nurses: A metasynthesis

Author

Listed:
  • Anna GW Nolte
  • Charlene Downing
  • Annie Temane
  • Marie Hastings‐Tolsma

Abstract

Aims and objectives To interpret the body of qualitative work focusing on compassion fatigue to distil a common understanding that could then be applied to nursing care. Background Complex demands place extraordinary stress on nurses struggling to work in overburdened healthcare systems. The result can be the inability to care well for others, leading to compassion fatigue, burnout and increased numbers leaving the profession. Metasynthesis offers a means of more fully illuminating compassion fatigue and further understanding of practices which might reduce its negative consequences. Design Metasynthesis. Method As a method designed to facilitate knowledge development, metasynthesis allowed for integration of qualitative study findings conducted between 1992–2016 using defined search terms. Six databases were searched for articles published in English. Nine papers met the criteria for review and metasynthesis was conducted using the meta‐ethnographic approach detailed by Noblit and Hare. Results Four themes related to compassion fatigue were found by consensus discussion. The themes included: physical (“just plain worn out”) and emotional symptoms (“walking on a tightrope”), triggering factors (“an unbearable weight on shoulders” and “alone in a crowded room”), and measures to overcome/prevent (“who has my back?”). Conclusions Compassion fatigue is a concept of documented relevance to those in nursing and represents a basic inability to nurture others and engenders a temporal component. Synthesis of studies provides evidence of the veracity of the concept for application to clinical practice and research related to nursing care. Relevance to clinical practice Findings provide insight into the clinical milieu needed to prevent compassion fatigue. A theoretical model is presented which can be used to guide future research, as well as the creation of clinical practice policies which might mitigate the development of compassion fatigue and its potential consequences.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna GW Nolte & Charlene Downing & Annie Temane & Marie Hastings‐Tolsma, 2017. "Compassion fatigue in nurses: A metasynthesis," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(23-24), pages 4364-4378, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jocnur:v:26:y:2017:i:23-24:p:4364-4378
    DOI: 10.1111/jocn.13766
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jennifer R. Day & Ruth A. Anderson, 2011. "Compassion Fatigue: An Application of the Concept to Informal Caregivers of Family Members with Dementia," Nursing Research and Practice, Hindawi, vol. 2011, pages 1-10, September.
    2. Mojtaba Vaismoradi & Hannele Turunen & Terese Bondas, 2013. "Content analysis and thematic analysis: Implications for conducting a qualitative descriptive study," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(3), pages 398-405, September.
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    1. Samantha Jakimowicz & Lin Perry & Joanne Lewis, 2018. "Insights on compassion and patient‐centred nursing in intensive care: A constructivist grounded theory," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(7-8), pages 1599-1611, April.
    2. Gulliver, Amelia & Pike, Georgia & Banfield, Michelle & Morse, Alyssa R. & Katruss, Natasha & Valerius, Harley & Pescud, Melanie & McMaster, Mitchell & West, Susan, 2021. "The Music Engagement Program for people with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia: Pilot feasibility trial outcomes," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    3. Irit Shahar & Irit Asher & Merav Ben Natan, 2019. "Compassion fatigue among nurses working in a long‐term care facility: The Israeli experience," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 21(3), pages 291-296, September.
    4. Carmel Bond & Gemma Stacey & Sarah Field‐Richards & Patrick Callaghan & Philip Keeley & Joanne Lymn & Sarah Redsell & Helen Spiby, 2018. "The concept of compassion within UK media‐generated discourse: A corpus‐informed analysis," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(15-16), pages 3081-3090, August.
    5. Rodolfo Buselli & Martina Corsi & Sigrid Baldanzi & Martina Chiumiento & Elena Del Lupo & Valerio Dell'Oste & Carlo Antonio Bertelloni & Gabriele Massimetti & Liliana Dell’Osso & Alfonso Cristaudo & C, 2020. "Professional Quality of Life and Mental Health Outcomes among Health Care Workers Exposed to Sars-Cov-2 (Covid-19)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-12, August.
    6. María Dolores Ruiz‐Fernández & Juan Diego Ramos‐Pichardo & Olivia Ibáñez‐Masero & José Cabrera‐Troya & María Inés Carmona‐Rega & Ángela María Ortega‐Galán, 2020. "Compassion fatigue, burnout, compassion satisfaction and perceived stress in healthcare professionals during the COVID‐19 health crisis in Spain," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(21-22), pages 4321-4330, November.
    7. Giesbrecht, Melissa & Stajduhar, Kelli I. & Cloutier, Denise & Dujela, Carren, 2021. "“We are to be like machines…fill the bed before it gets cold”: Exploring the emotional geographies of healthcare providers caring for dying residents in long-term care facilities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 272(C).
    8. Jalal Alharbi & Debra Jackson & Kim Usher, 2020. "Personal characteristics, coping strategies, and resilience impact on compassion fatigue in critical care nurses: A cross‐sectional study," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 22(1), pages 20-27, March.
    9. Renate Willems & Constance Drossaert & Patricia Vuijk & Ernst Bohlmeijer, 2020. "Impact of Crisis Line Volunteering on Mental Wellbeing and the Associated Factors: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-22, March.
    10. Susan M. Jack & Michelle L. Munro‐Kramer & Jessica R. Williams & Donna Schminkey & Elizabeth Tomlinson & Larissa Jennings Mayo‐Wilson & Caroline Bradbury‐Jones & Jacquelyn C. Campbell, 2021. "Recognising and responding to intimate partner violence using telehealth: Practical guidance for nurses and midwives," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(3-4), pages 588-602, February.

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