Comparing the effectiveness of positive-oriented psychotherapy and reality therapy training on compassion fatigue and job burnout in medical staff during the covid-19 pandemic

Background and aims: Nursing is a high-risk profession often associated with burnout, leading to conditions such as workplace fatigue and job dissatisfaction. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of positive psychotherapy and reality therapy training in reducing compassion fatigue and job burnout among the medical staff during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test and a control group. A total of 45 male and female staff members from Kashani Hospital in Shahrekord were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to three groups: two experimental and one control (15 participants each). Participants completed questionnaires measuring compassion fatigue and job burnout prior to the intervention. After eight sessions of training in positive psychotherapy and reality therapy for the experimental groups, participants completed the questionnaires again for the post-test phase. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results: The findings indicated a significant difference between the effectiveness of positive psychotherapy and reality therapy training on compassion fatigue and job burnout among the medical staff, with reality therapy demonstrating greater effectiveness (p<0.01). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that both positive psychotherapy and reality therapy training are effective in mitigating compassion fatigue and job burnout. Moreover, reality therapy is more effective than positive psychotherapy in achieving these outcomes.