Some days it’s just
too much to care:
Dealing with
Compassion Fatigue
Terry M. Foster, RN,
MSN, FAEN, CCRN, CEN
Critical-Care Clinical Specialist
St. Elizabeth Medical Center
Edgewood, Kentucky
What is Compassion?
• Simply caring about another human being
• Being…
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Weak with the weak
Vulnerable with the vulnerable
In grief with the grieving
Caring for those who need caring
• Nursing care or nurses caring
– Supporting those who need support
Examples of Compassion
Compassion in the
Nursing Profession
• “I feel so sorry for this family.”
• “This patient is so sick.”
• Mentally thinking about a patient long after
you’ve left them.
• Does this patient’s illness or injury
impress you???
• Defending the downtrodden
What is Compassion Fatigue?
• The emotional, physical, social, and
spiritual exhaustion that overtakes a
person and causes a pervasive decline
in their desire, ability, and energy to
feel and care for others.
What is Compassion Fatigue?
Other definitions:
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A type of burnout
A form of post-traumatic stress disorder
A natural consequence of caring for the sick
Is it the cost of caring?
From helping or wanting to help those who
are traumatized or hurting, especially in a
difficult work environment
Other Thoughts on
Compassion Fatigue
• As a nurse, we sometimes want to “act”
like we don’t care.
• Is it peer pressure?
– “Honey, you gotta get use to this.”
• Detachment (emotional or physical)
• Caring attitude or caring behavior?
• All behavior is __________?
Those who develop
Compassion Fatigue
• Healthcare providers – especially nurses
– What we do, what we see, what we know
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Emergency responders
Case managers
Law enforcement officers
Clergy
Military personnel
Factors that cause
Compassion Fatigue
• Contact with genuine human suffering
• Exposure to horrific illness and trauma
• Stressful working conditions
Symptoms of
Compassion Fatigue
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Misplaced anger (to patients, coworkers, home)
Increased irritability
Substance abuse - food, drugs, alcohol
Blaming “them” (whoever they are)
Chronic tardiness
Depression, hopelessness
Obsessively worrying
Symptoms of
Compassion Fatigue
• Diminished sense of personal
accomplishment (what use to make
you happy, satisfied, enjoying work)
• Low self esteem
• Exhaustion (physical or emotional)
• Frequent headaches, GI complaints
• Insomnia, sleep disturbances
• Frequent vague illnesses
Dealing with
Compassion Fatigue
• There isn’t a cure-all
• Acknowledge that it is present
– Personal impact
– Professional impact
• Begin to talk about it
– Making it safe
• Understand that is does affect your care
• Change work assignment
– Dumping vs. Turfing vs. Trading patients
Dealing with
Compassion Fatigue
• Critical Incident Stress Management
• Debriefing with coworkers
– Co-worker or manager support is considered
the most helpful strategy
• Avoiding working extra shifts
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Creating an environment of compassion
Dealing with
Compassion Fatigue
• Arrange patient follow-up
– ICU, transfers, letters, etc.
• Scheduled rotation through less acute areas?
• “When you speak to a patient that way;
do you realize how that sounds?”
Some other thoughts…
• Never underestimate a “Thank You.”
• It is a fact: Some patients could never
have the ability to thank us.
• A nurses work is missed when it is not
done, and often goes unnoticed when it is
done.
Remember…
• You can’t change attitudes, but
you can change behaviors!
• You don’t want to make a nurse
feel bad… but the behavior
needs to be pointed out.
• It’s sad when nurses don’t care.
We support and we care!
Thank you for caring!
Thank you,
Terry M. Foster, RN
St. Elizabeth Medical Center
1 Medical Village Drive
Edgewood, KY 41017
www.TerryFosterRN.com
terry.foster@stelizabeth.com
859-301-2159