Factors Associated with the Dimensions of Compassion Fatigue in Nursing: The Role of Empathy and the Work Environment

Background/Objectives: Compassion fatigue can affect nursing professionals exposed to demanding clinical environments and may be influenced by individual and work-related factors. The objective of this study was to analyze the factors associated with the compassion and fatigue/exhaustion dimensions of compassion fatigue (CF) among nursing professionals in Peru. Methods: This was an observational, analytical, and cross-sectional study in 374 nursing professionals from Peru, with data on the study variables collected at a single point in time through a virtual survey. Primary analyses used the two original EFat-Com subscales and complete-case multiple linear regression without automated selection (n = 339), with HC3 robust 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Sensitivity analyses examined age, resilience, continuous life satisfaction, workplace grouping, and an exploratory 11-item version; stepwise models underwent bootstrap validation. Results: The sample was predominantly female (88.2%) and had a mean age of 39.77 years (SD = 9.11). Empathy was associated with compassion (b = 0.312; 95% CI 0.237 to 0.387); adjusted R2 was 0.216. Experience exceeding ten years (b = −0.201; 95% CI −0.396 to −0.006) and neutral job satisfaction (b = 0.226; 95% CI 0.057 to 0.395) were associated with fatigue/exhaustion scores; adjusted R2 was 0.080. Several associations varied across sensitivity analyses, whereas the empathy–compassion association persisted. Conclusions: The dimensions showed different association patterns, but the fatigue/exhaustion model had limited explanatory capacity, suggesting that other relevant factors not assessed in this study may also contribute to this dimension. Measurement uncertainty, missing data, and model instability warrant cautious interpretation.