Researching the Topic of Compassion Fatigue, Caregiver Burnout, and other Related Issues.
Robert J. Lopez
Grand Canyon University: HLT-310V | Combating Compassion Fatigue
October 26, 2014
Abstract
As Health Care Providers we will come across many different faiths, Religious cultures and beliefs during our practice. This alone can place a lot of stress, which mean fatigue, burnout and other related issues that may effect on how well we will care for their patients. But losing sight compassion fatigue and of burnout which is another type of burnout that can put both the health care provider and their patients at risk. We can prevent these issues by identifying warnings sign and the use of coping strategies that will be described more in detail in this assignment.
Researching the Topic of Compassion Fatigue, Caregiver Burnout, and other Related Issues.
Warning signs of compassion fatigue:
As Nurses and caregiver they are good at many things, however sometimes taking of our own needs is not one of them. Health care providers are asked to care for others, but often we put our own needs last. This is not a healthy practice, says the American Nurses Association (ANA, 2008). Many hospitals and other health care organization has put into place its policies by creating conditions that not only can reduce the risk of compassion fatigue but also can promote a healthy and more effective work force. Compassion fatigue is a type of burnout that emerges suddenly and with little if none warnings signs and usually more prevalent than burnout. Compassion Fatigue burnout symptoms can be work related type, emotional and physical. The normal displays of stress resulting from the care giving work that is perform on a regular basis. Symptoms can often be disruptive, depressive, irritating, an awareness of the symptoms and the negative effects on your everyday normal life can lead to a positive change. Some of the normal symptoms that are present in a person can be excessive blaming, bottled up emotions, isolating from others, voicing your excessive complaints about administration functions and the substance abuse which is used to mask your feelings. Substance abuse may be the most common sign of compassion fatigue. Any one of the symptoms mention can validate the occurrence of compassion fatigue. In 2010, there was a written studies that was done on nurses and the compassion fatigue which revealed that compassion fatigue was more significant higher in nurses that worked 8-hour shifts compared to the nurses that worked 12 hours. Compassion fatigue can often be triggered by a patient care situation in which the nurse or caregiver believes that their actions would not have made a difference or the feeling of it’s never seemed to be enough. Many health care providers has experienced problems with the system the heavy workload, the high patient’s census, overtime or extra workdays. Others problems that are encounter are the healthcare providers own personal issues, the overlooking of serious patients symptoms. Nurses and caregivers identifying too strongly with patients, the negative outcome of their patient, staffing changes and perhaps their own home pressures as family issues or financial problems. When compassion fatigue hits in the workplace, the organization itself can suffer. Many of these problems can cause chronic absentees, workman compensation can become high, a high turnover rate, problems between employees, which can cause friction between the staff and management.
Compassion fatigue has been described as a combination of physical, emotional and the spiritual needs of the healthcare providers and caregivers which is associated with caring for patients in pain physical stress and these issues should be address. An awareness of compassion fatigue and its reaching effects should be presented to the highest level of management and work its way down to the staff, and keeping in mind the volunteers. Most care giving organizations are
