Investigation of Compassion Fatigue And Working Life Quality of Nursing Home Workers

Objective: This study aimed to investigate compassion fatigue and work life quality among nurses and care personnel working in nursing homes. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was completed with 310 nurses and care personnel working in private and public nursing homes in Izmir province. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Compassion Scale, and the Quality of Work Life Scale for Healthcare Personnel. Data analysis included frequency, percentage, variance, and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: The mean age of the participants was 32.38 ± 9.32 years. Participants scored higher on the Kindness, Common Humanity and Mindfulness subscales of the Compassion Scale, while scoring lower on the Indifference, Separation, and Disengagement subscales. On the Quality of Work Life Scale for Healthcare Personnel, they scored higher on the “Continuous Development and Improvement Opportunities”, “Social Integration into the Organization” and “Laws in the Organization” subscales. Positive correlation was found between total scores obtained from the Compassion Scale and Quality of Work Life Scale. A strong positive correlation was observed between the sub-dimensions of Compassion, namely Occupational Accident and Occupational Disease Risk, and the Physical Working Conditions and Institutional Laws sub-dimensions of the Quality of Work Life Scale for Healthcare Personnel. Conclusion: Compassion fatigue among staff working in elderly care homes affects their quality of life. To prevent burnout among elderly caregivers, it is recommended that they be given opportunities to spend time with themselves and their families, and avoid excessive working hours.