Compassion Fatigue Among Critical Care Nurses and Physicians: A Scoping Review.

Abstract

<h4>Introduction</h4>The continuous engagement with critically ill patients leaves healthcare providers vulnerable to Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS), consequently developing Compassion Fatigue (CF). Nurses' compassion is crucial for healing and is associated with improved care delivery. Hence the purpose of this review is to evaluate the literature related to CF among Nurses and Physicians in the Critical Care area, with an emphasis on the prevalence of burnout (BO), STS and CF.<h4>Design</h4>A scoping review.<h4>Methods</h4>Two main electronic databases, namely Ovid Medline and CINAHL, were used to identify the relevant studies published. Google Scholar, PubMed and hand searching were used to scan the grey literature and otherwise missed peer reviewed literature. Following the title and abstract review, full-text articles were screened for relevance, and study data were extracted. A narrative approach to synthesising the literature was used.<h4>Results</h4>There is a lack of consensus on conceptualisation and operationalisation of CF. The predictors of CF vary among studies. Most of the studies reported a low to moderate level of CF. Only 2 studies reported high scores of BO, STS and CF.<h4>Conclusion</h4>This paper has highlighted numerous gaps which necessitate further investigations. Despite increased recognition of CF in the healthcare field, its impact and preventive interventions remain limited.<h4>Clinical relevance</h4>Addressing CF among critical care providers is vital for improving the well-being of providers, ensuring better patient care, and encouraging healthy and safe work environments.