Compassion Fatigue and Burnout: What Managers Should Know.
Lise Anne Slatten1, Kerry David Carson, Paula Phillips Carson
1Reprinted from Slatten LA, Carson KD, Carson PP. Compassion fatigue and burnout: what managers should know. Health Care Manag. 2011;30(4):325-333. doi:10.1097/HCM.0b013e31823511f7. Author Affiliation: Department of Management, University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Healthcare professionals can experience compassion satisfaction but may develop compassion fatigue from patient trauma. Managers can mitigate compassion fatigue with interventions, unlike burnout, which requires addressing organizational issues.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Professionals
- Psychology
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Healthcare employees often derive satisfaction from patient care.
- High empathy in providers can increase the risk of compassion fatigue.
- Compassion fatigue is a syndrome linked to patient trauma.
Purpose of the Study:
- To differentiate compassion fatigue from burnout in healthcare settings.
- To identify symptoms and causes of compassion fatigue.
- To outline management strategies for compassion fatigue and burnout.
Main Methods:
- The study defines compassion fatigue and contrasts it with burnout.
- It explores the relationship between empathy and compassion fatigue.
- It reviews managerial interventions for both conditions.
Main Results:
- Compassion fatigue is a rapid-onset disorder from patient trauma.
- Burnout is a slower-onset disorder linked to organizational burdens.
- Interventions like patient reassignment and training can help compassion fatigue.
Conclusions:
- Compassion fatigue and burnout are distinct conditions requiring different management approaches.
- Healthcare managers must implement targeted strategies to support employee well-being.
- Fostering a compassionate organizational culture is key to mitigating compassion fatigue.
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