Compassion Fatigue in Pediatric Emergency Department Staff.

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Psychology
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Compassion fatigue, stemming from burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction, diminishes empathy for those suffering.
• Understanding its prevalence is crucial for healthcare professionals in high-stress environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of compassion fatigue among staff in a pediatric emergency department.
• To identify risk factors and contributing elements to compassion fatigue in this setting.

Main Methods:

• The Professional Quality of Life instrument, assessing burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction, was administered to pediatric emergency department staff.
• Participants were categorized based on their scores to identify levels of burnout, secondary traumatic stress, compassion satisfaction, and compassion fatigue.

Main Results:

• Out of 177 participants, 5% met the criteria for compassion fatigue.
• A significant proportion exhibited burnout (24%), secondary traumatic stress, or low compassion satisfaction, placing them at risk.
• Personal and work stress were associated with higher burnout and secondary traumatic stress scores.

Conclusions:

• Compassion fatigue affects 5% of pediatric emergency staff, with a larger percentage at risk due to burnout or secondary traumatic stress.
• Further research is needed to explore contributing factors and develop interventions to mitigate compassion fatigue in this population.