Aims and objectives: To evaluate compassion fatigue (CF), burnout (BO), compassion satisfaction (CS) and perceived stress in healthcare professionals during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) health crisis in Spain. Background: Spain has been one of the countries hardest hit by the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare professionals have had to deal with traumatic and complex situations in the work context. In these particularly stressful situations, many professionals may develop CF or BO, which puts them at risk for mental health problems. Design: Cross-sectional online survey. Methods: A total of 506 healthcare professionals (physicians and nurses) who were working in healthcare centres during the COVID-19 pandemic participated. CF, CS and BO were assessed with the Professional Quality of Life Questionnaire, and perceived stress was measured with the Perceived Stress Scale-14. Socio-demographic and occupational variables were also analysed. Data were collected during the period of the highest incidence of cases and highest mortality rates due to COVID-19 in Spain. This article adheres to the STROBE guidelines for the reporting of observational studies. Results: Physicians had higher CF and BO scores, while nurses had higher CS scores. Perceived stress scores were similar in both occupations. Professionals working in specific COVID-19 units and in emergency departments had higher CF and BO scores, while levels of CS and perceived stress were similar regardless of the workplace. Relevance to clinical practice: Despite the health crisis situation and its implications for healthcare professionals, the levels of CF and BO have remained moderate/high. However, CS seems to be increasing, especially among nurses, possibly due to their motivation to relieve suffering and due to their perceived social recognition. It is

The coronavirus pandemic has exposed healthcare professionals to suffering and stressful working conditions. The aim of this study was to analyze professional quality of life among healthcare professionals and its relationship with empathy, resilience, and self‐compassion during the COVID‐19 crisis in Spain. A cross‐sectional study was conducted with 506 healthcare professionals, who participated by completing an online questionnaire. A descriptive correlational analysis was performed. A multivariate regression analysis and a decision tree were used to identify the variables associated with professional quality of life. Empathy, resilience, and mindfulness were the main predictors of compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burnout, respectively.

Background: The high level of satisfaction of users of a health service is largely due to the fact that they receive excellent care from healthcare professionals. Compassionate care is an essential component of excellent care. But what do nurses understand compassion to be? Research objectives: To analyse the concept of compassion from the perspective of nurses in the Andalusian Public Health System, Spain. Research design: This is a qualitative study following the grounded theory model. Four focus groups and 25 in-depth interviews were conducted. Participants and research context: A total of 68 nursing professionals working in the Andalusian Public Health System (Spain) participated. Theoretical sampling was used, with participants being recruited using the snowball technique. Ethical considerations: This research was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Centro-Almería Health District (CEICA 27/9/17). Findings: From the analysis of the data, four themes emerged that helped to understand the concept of compassion according to nurses: ‘Negative perception of the term compassion’, ‘Compassion and empathy as synonyms’, ‘Beyond empathy’, and ‘Effects of having a compassionate attitude’. Discussion: Nurses perceive the concept of compassion differently to each other and even contradictorily. This concept is imbued with cultural elements, which adds confusion to understanding it, and is even perceived as something negative similar to pity. Conclusion: Nurses confuse the concepts of empathy and compassion as if they were synonymous. Before considering training in compassion for healthcare professionals, it is essential to clarify the concept of compassion through educational interventions.

In the act of caring for and helping people in the end-of-life process, the professional who provides care and assistance must know how to maintain a relationship of closeness, empathy, and compassion for the pain and suffering of the person who is going to die. The objective was to understand, elaborate on, and characterize the key elements of end-of-life care of patients from a caregiver's perspective through a qualitative phenomenological multicenter study. Participants were caregivers who had lost a family member at least 2 months but less than 2 years in the past. The techniques used were 5 discussion groups and 41 in-depth interviews, which included a total of 81 participants. To analyze the information, a protocol developed by Giorgi was followed. Two dimensions or units of meaning, with subdimensions, emerged: (1) Technical competence, with the subdimensions "Control of symptoms" and "Continuity of care," and (2) Compassion, with the subdimensions "Effective/affective communication," "Attitudes of kindness and closeness toward the patient and the family," and "Generosity and personalized flexibility of care." Assistance at the end of life requires the proper preparation of professionals who care for these patients, in addition to a compassionate attitude on the part of professionals and the people accompanying the dying person, that fosters a more humanized and dignified treatment in the dying process.

A death with dignity is influenced by the quality of care offered to patients. The objective of this study was to identify, through the firsthand experiences and insights of family caregivers, the key elements related to the care offered to patients with a terminal illness at the end of life. This multicenter qualitative study was based on the paradigm of hermeneutic phenomenology. Participants were relatives of patients with terminal illness who had been identified as primary caregivers. Five discussion groups and 41 in-depth interviews were organized with a total of 81 participants. The content of the interviews was analyzed based on the methods developed by Giorgi (J Phenom Psychol 1997;28(2):235-260). The results indicate the existence of 3 dimensions: the caregiver’s suffering, compassion satisfaction with the care provided, and the support of health care professionals. Understanding the experiences of family members providing end-of-life care allows improved care and provides dignity in death. Health and social systems must provide comprehensive assistance covering the different aspects of needed care. Health professionals occupy a privileged position in the care of these patients and their families.