Describing compassion fatigue from the perspective of oncology nurses in Durban, South Africa

Abstract

Compassion fatigue is explained as a situation of emotional fatigue stemming from encounters with compassion stress and can rise abruptly without any warning, leaving the nurse feeling confused, secluded and helpless (Figley 2005). Figley (2005) further elaborated that compassion fatigue involved obsession with patients' collective emotional and physical sufferings, which resulted in emotional stress. Figley (1995) softened the term secondary traumatic stress disorder (STSD) to the user-friendly expression compassion fatigue, and associated it with compassion fatigue among health care practitioners in clinical practice who are first to witness pain, suffering and distress. Compassion fatigue has frequently been referred to as the 'cost of caring' (Figley 2005). Nurses who are suffering from compassion fatigue can still care for their patients; however, their care may be less compassionate (Slocum-Gori et al. 2011). Symptoms of compassion fatigue include physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, disconnection and depersonalisation, and isolation from peers, together with a lessened sense of personal achievement (Figley 2005).Background: Caring for cancer patients can take a toll on the emotional health of oncology nurses, which may lead to compassion fatigue, resulting in decreased quality of nursing care, absenteeism and decreased retention of staff. Aim:The aim of this study was to describe compassion fatigue from the perspective of oncology nurses. This study is part of a larger mixed-methods action research study to develop an in-facility intervention to manage compassion fatigue in oncology nurses.

A Scoping Review of Compassion Fatigue Among Oncology Nurses Caring for Adult Patients

“…Nurses identified a need to accept patient outcomes, even believing the death of patients made them stronger. This, in turn, helped them mentally prepare for the passing away of other patients who reach their terminal stage 29 …”

“…Most of the studies included were quantitative (n = 16), 3 were qualitative and 2 used a mixed-methods design 29,47 . Studies were published between 2011 and 2022 and conducted across 9 countries: United States, 33–35,40–43,47 China, 46 Turkey, 38,44,45 South Africa, 29,30 Canada, 39,42 Jordan, 37 Korea, 36 Portugal, 27,28 and Spain 31,32 . The 2022 study 41 was accessible in early view at the time of the literature search.…”

“…Nurses who develop these relationships with patients and their families can experience symptoms of CF when their patients die. This was found to occur in both early-late career oncology nurses 29,34 . Communication breakdown between nurses and families or nurses and patients can also cause work-related stress, increasing nurses’ perceived risk of CF development 33 …”

“…Reference lists of included studies and systematic reviews were reviewed by J.B. to identify any research not captured through the electronic database search. Finally, a total of 21 articles from 19 studies were included in this review as shown in the Figure (articles from Duarte and Pinto-Gouveia, 27,28 Wentzel et al, 29 Wentzel and Brysiewicz 30 were merged into 2 studies). This review provides an overarching map of the available research literature; therefore, no critical appraisal or risk-of-bias assessment was completed on the articles reported, consistent with the scoping review framework 24 …”

Compassion Fatigue in Oncology Nurses: An Integrative Review

“…Because of this, they frequently are unable to provide their patients the adequate care that they need. Empathy is common to oncology nurses because they usually deal with dying patients, fatigue and burnout are just some of the things they experience when interacting with patients and their families [37]. Fatigue and burnout impact on oncology nurses as personal life stressors and the experiences they have can cause positive and negative effects on the quality of their work [12].…”