COMPASSION FATIGUE IN NURSING

CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES, AND CONTEMPLATION FOR ANSWERS

Abstract

In the United States over the past twenty years, nurses have had the highest ethical rating among a diverse list of professions. Yet the physical, emotional, and psychological job demands have taken a toll in the field of nursing and have made this group of professionals susceptible to the deleterious effects of compassion fatigue. This article attempts to define the causes, address the consequences, and contemplate concrete answers addressing compassion fatigue that will be beneficial for both the nursing community and the healthcare system. The lines of communication between both groups must be open whereby real solutions are solicited in a collaborative environment that will magnify the positive aspects of the Professional Quality of Life (ProQoL) for nurses who work in a field that relies on compassion and other meaningful attributes for the patients they serve.