The relationship between compassion fatigue and nursing working environment in emergency department nurses in...

This study aimed to investigate the association between compassion fatigue and the nursing work environment among emergency department nurses in tertiary hospitals in Yunnan Province, and to explore the factors influencing compassion fatigue.

A cross-sectional design was employed, with a convenience sample of 265 emergency department nurses recruited from three tertiary hospitals in Yunnan Province during the peak wild mushroom poisoning season (May-July 2023). Data were collected using the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQoL) and the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, univariate analysis, independent samples t-tests, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression.

The prevalence of moderate to severe compassion fatigue among participants was 81.5%. Mean scores for compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress were 27.38 ± 12.97, 27.58 ± 7.91, and 23.32 ± 6.42, respectively. The mean nursing work environment score was 2.75 ± 0.49. Pearson correlation analysis showed that compassion fatigue was significantly negatively correlated with the nursing work environment (r = -0.280, p < 0.01). The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that collegial nurse-physician relations were an influencing factor of compassion satisfaction (p < 0.05), while nurse manager ability, leadership, and support of nurses were common influencing factors of both compassion satisfaction and secondary traumatic stress (p < 0.05).

Emergency nurses in Yunnan Province generally suffer from high compassion fatigue, affected by multiple factors such as local cultural diversity and seasonal wild mushroom poisoning. A supportive work environment is significantly associated with lower compassion fatigue, highlighting the urgency to optimize the workplace. Future research should use longitudinal and mixed-method designs to explore seasonal dynamic changes and develop targeted interventions adapted to Yunnan's regional features, so as to alleviate compassion fatigue, improve nurses' mental health, and enhance patient care quality.