Warning Signs, Nature, and Causes of Compassion Fatigue and Ways to Combat it

Combating Compassion Fatigue
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Many healthcare workers particularly nurses care for ill, wounded and traumatized patients and witness patient pain and suffering routinely (Boyle, 2011). They develop compassion fatigue condition due to their preoccupation with cumulative patients’ trauma and tension. They experience feelings of sadness that affect their wellbeing, reduce their capacity for being empathetic and may even cause them to avoid particular patients (Potter, et al., 2010). Compassion fatigue is marked by intense physical and emotional exhaustion as well as a prominent change in the caregiver’s ability to feel empathetic for patients and their loved ones (Mathieu, 2007). It is necessary to understand the nature and roots of compassion fatigue as well as the strategies used in coping.
Compassion fatigue has a significant impact on caregivers’ cognitive, emotional, spiritual, interpersonal and physical aspects. Cognitively the patient may become forgetful, have shorter attention spans, become self-doubtful and experience a decrease in their self-esteem. Emotionally, the caregiver may experience apathy, anger outbursts, overwhelming sadness, decreased ability for joy, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. Spiritually, the caregiver experiences a pervasive sense of hopelessness and interpersonal manifestations may include becoming withdrawn, loneliness and patients’ depersonalization. Physically, the caregiver’s exhaustion may be characterized by complaints such as headaches, insomnia, impaired immune system, and gastrointestinal distress (Bevans, 2010).
Apathy is a sure indicator of an emotional problem where the caregiver lacks concern for the patient. It occurs when the caregivers fully exploit their emotional reserves. It is preceded by the caregivers give all the attention possible in caring for the patient. Eventually, they become uncaring because their emotional reserves go un-replenished. Apathy dilutes job satisfaction and work becomes burdensome (Mathieu, 2007). Apathy also causes caregivers to feel incompetent to offer any additional support and care they numb themselves to the patient suffering (Coetzee & Klopper, 2010). Compassion fatigued caregivers experience feelings of inadequacy and a reduced sense of accomplishment which hampers productivity. There is decreased enthusiasm about work, increased absenteeism and eventual termination from work due to complaints from colleagues.
Some of the physical problems associated with compassion fatigue include the inability to sleep, restlessness, headaches stomach ailments and back pain among others. Caregivers may resort to chronic application for sick leave to get some rest. Relaxing and resting is vital because it mitigates physical exhaustion. Being physically tired also results in irritability and chronic pain, digestion problems and weakened immunity which increase the caregivers’ susceptibility to infections. It is thus imperative that caregivers identify these symptoms as indicators of imminent compassion fatigue and develop interventions (Bevans, 2010).
Caregivers feel obligated to offer more care and improve patient outcomes and the inabi...