Experiences of compassion fatigue among nurses working in psychiatric clinics: A qualitative study

Experiences of compassion fatigue among nurses working in psychiatric clinics: A qualitative studyC ompassion is a multidimensional concept that involves recognizing another person's pain, feeling that pain on an emotional level, and responding to it in an effective manner. [1]n this context, compassion can be defined as an attitude and behavior aimed at understanding the other person's experience, recognizing their needs, and alleviating their pain. [2]The feeling of compassion is based on the assumption that pain, failure, and inadequacy are fundamental to being human and that all individuals are worthy of compassion. [3]nce Florence Nightingale's historical influence, compassion has formed the basis of the traditional philosophy of care in the international professional nursing context. [4]Nursing sci-ence theorists Erikson [5] and Watson [6] also emphasized that compassion is an essential element in nursing care.Compassion fatigue is considered a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion that arises from prolonged exposure to work-related stress among healthcare workers. [7]Compassion fatigue is generally defined as a process that occurs when healthcare workers constantly compromise themselves and are exposed to excessive stress due to continuous and intense interaction with patients. [8]The nursing profession, which is considered vulnerable to compassion fatigue among healthcare professionals, stands out as a highly stressful profession. [7]ompassion fatigue is the emotional cost of nurses caring for Objectives: This study aimed to examine the experiences of compassion fatigue among nurses working in a psychiatric clinic using a phenomenological approach.Methods: This phenomenological study was conducted between July and September 2023 with 14 nurses working in a psychiatric clinic, using semi-structured questions.Criterion sampling was employed to reach the sample group, and interviews continued until data saturation was achieved.Colaizzi's seven-step method was used to analyze the data, allowing for a comprehensive examination of the participants' experiences and thereby contributing to the reliability of the findings.Results: Five themes were developed based on 16 categories identified in the study.The themes included the role of compassion in psychiatric care, nurses' perceptions of compassion fatigue, negative emotions that trigger compassion fatigue in psychiatric care, strategies for coping with compassion fatigue, and suggestions for managing compassion fatigue. Conclusion:The study concluded that compassion is fundamental to psychiatric care but can also lead to compassion fatigue when professional boundaries are crossed.Nurses stated that feelings such as exhaustion, anger, sadness, fear, and anxiety increased the risk of compassion fatigue.It was found that they used dysfunctional coping methods such as increased smoking, emotional avoidance, and shifting focus.The study also revealed that nurses had expectations in clinical and educational areas to prevent compassion fatigue.