Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, and Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Nursing Staff at an Academic Medical Center: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Abstract

Background: Although several studies have recently described compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout (BO), and secondary traumatic stress (STS) in nurses, few to date have examined these issues across nursing specialties. Such examination is needed to inform future nursing-subspecialty tailored interventions. Aims: To examine (1) differences in CS, BO, and STS across nursing specialties and (2) differences associated with demographic, work-related, and behavioral factors among nurses. Method: A secondary analysis of survey responses from nurses ( N = 350) at an academic medical center. Demographic, behavioral, work-related, and professional quality of life variables were analyzed using hierarchical regression analyses. Results: CS, BO, and STS scores significantly varied across specialties with emergency nurses experiencing significantly elevated rates of BO and STS, and lowest rates of CS; scores were also differentially associated with demographic, work-related, behavioral, and workplace violence variables. Conclusions: Key differences in CS, BO, and STS by nursing specialty suggests the importance of tailoring BO and STS mitigative interventions. BO and STS risk factors should be assessed in nurses (e.g., behavioral health problems and poor sleep quality) and specialty-specific interventions (e.g., reducing workplace violence exposure in emergency settings) may be considered to improve CS while reducing BO and STS among nurses.

The Relationship Between Nurse’s Professional Quality of Life, Mindfulness, and Hardiness: A Cross-Sectional Study During the COVID-19 Outbreak

“…Some studies suggest that having experienced adversity in the past may predispose individuals toward compassion ( Lim and DeSteno, 2016 ). Nurses’ BO and STS risk factors should be assessed and specialty-specific interventions may be considered to improve CS while reducing BO and STS among nurses ( Lykins et al, 2021 ). Nursing managers should implement practical and comprehensive plans to increase nurses’ CS and reduce BO and STS ( Zakeri et al, 2020 ).…”

Affirming Nurses' value

“…Nurses have certainly done their part in advancing the professional journey, enhancing patient outcomes, social relevance, and professional equity. Yet, in the confines of hospitals and health services, the largest employers of nurses, many nurses still feel so personally and professionally disenfranchised that they suffer more than any other group of professional women from depression, anxiety, obesity, dissatisfaction, burnout, and marital failure (Chong & Shorey, 2022;Jarden et al, 2021;Lykins et al, 2021).…”

Abandoning Blue-Collar Management

“…While these experiences and sentiments were real to most nurses, what was most often expressed were devastated feelings of loss. [5][6][7] These feelings were most often expressed in terms that indicated a generalized sense of loss of support, engagement, investment, leadership, and empowerment. Indeed, many nurses who left either the organization or the profession indicated that they expected the pressures and stressors associated with the accelerating care demands of COVID but did not expect the organizational and leadership shortfalls they often strongly experienced in the midst of the pressures of COVID response.…”