Compassion Fatigue Concepts and Symptoms - Essay Example

Compassion Fatigue Compassion Fatigue Introduction Compassion fatigue, defined in clinical context, occurs amongst health care providers who prolong their working hours to uncomfortable levels resulting into physical and adverse psychological effects. Compassion fatigue relates to psychological and physical problems that emanate from workplace issues such as excessive duties, poor work relations and other social problems. It differs from burnout, which is usually predictable, builds overtime and results into dissatisfaction feelings (Bush, 2009). Compassion Fatigue Concepts and Symptoms Cognitive Effects Under cognitive effects, the health providers would experience sudden reduction in self-esteem. They begin to lose focus and concentration on their work as their professional tasks become more difficult and uneasy. The impacts may be chronic and unbearable to an extent that many compromise productivity. Emotional Fatigue Compassion fatigue develops from accumulated emotional experiences among workers. They acquire negative emotions and feelings about the workplace or their duties. In the workplace, the most frequent negative emotions include anger, depression, feeling paralyzed, bitterness, depression, frustration, and being cynical about others. Most negative emotions commence at slower paces but gradually turn chronic an unmanageable. Individuals with emotional fatigue are mostly depressed with lower productivity. Some of the burnout health care providers depict minds and thoughts that are exhausted. Emotionally exhausted person develops communication problems with coworkers, family, and friends. Emotionally exhausted different shows hostility, empathy for clients, family, friends and coworkers, paranoia and difficulty in team working Decreased Performance In cases of fatigue, health care willingness to work reduces mainly. They become less productive as the quality of their work also decreases. The main signs of decline in performance are lack of duty accomplishment, absenteeism, ineffectiveness, work lateness, boredom, and helplessness. Such workers also spend most of their duty hours idling, watching or drinking alcohol. Compulsive Activities Healthcare professionals experiencing fatigue often associate with stress related activities and practices that are habitual. Compulsive behaviors may compel an individual to undertake tasks or do illegal acts irresistibly. Compulsive symptoms include increasing working hours, propensity to drinking excessive alcohol and caffeine, use of addictive drugs, gambling and too much shopping. They engage in compelling activities to help them engage their troubled minds. Physical Fatigue Physical fatigue always results in cases of excessive burnouts. The biology of human beings is such that there is inherent correlation between the body and the mind. If an individual experiences negative challenges sickness may occur. The most common signs of physical fatigue are insomnia, colds, migraines, headaches, nausea, digestion complications, allergies, and skin problems. Q 2 Burnout is a problem in the health sector, and it results when the professionals though out real intent, commit themselves to overambitious goals that make them work tirelessly. They finally exhaust their energy and become unrealistic to themselves and others. Causes of Burnout Working conditions contribute to burnout of nurses in health facilities. Work demands such as employees relations and night working hours frustrates most workers leading to fatigue. Some other work-generated issues like clients that are pessimistic and describe other patients as destined for death in spite of the care given. Such clients frustrate nurses and make them the burnout. Burnout also results in situations such as poor work relations among the nurses and doctors. Causes of poor work relations include unbiased administration or individual relations. For instance, unfair methods applied during the development of employees in the health sector. In cases of unfair advertising, junior employees get elevated through the corporate structure as senior ones remain juniors. The senior workers become frustrated, gets depressed and have the stress developed accumulate overtime resulting into burnout. In such cases of unfairness during promotions, workers became frustrated and fatigued with performing their duties. Burnouts may result from high expectations of nurses and the administration. If nurses receive too much duty, they will work tirelessly and in the process gets fatigued. They become unable to complete their duties in time besides exhibiting low-quality work. Q 3 Burnout victims require constant physical, spiritual and emotional care. If not granted necessary care, the fatigue may become chronic causing psychological death, depression or death. Physical support for burnout patients includes a light body exercise that helps them be relieved of stress. They also need spiritual counseling by chaplains to help cope with stress. In addition, burnout victims need emotional support through encouraging messages that help in building self-esteem. Q 4 Coping Strategies Burnout patients can use the following strategies in dealing with work developed stress and fatigue. Boundary Demarcations It is the most used strategy for coping with work-related stress such as fatigue and burnout. If employees need to support each other with mutual respect and care, then boundaries between them have to demarcate. Fellow workers must be able to discern the limits that they can infringe into workmates personal life. If an understanding exists between employees then, poor employee relations will be minimized and consequently work –related stress (Chen et al., 2009). To help in proper distinction at health centers, and then it is essential to create patient-focused boundaries within health facilities. Health providers should have specific patients to care for. Such differentiation would make the nurses responsible and committed to their duties. Besides, they would not infringe into other professionals’ work. Moreover, for the realization of work-free stress, employees must build healthy relationships. The relationships developed must not discriminate others or be politically affiliated (Gupta, 2010). Participating in Decision Making The first aid to combating burnout at workplace involves participation in decision-making (PDM). PDM improves both employees’ productivity and satisfaction since there is increased information and opinion flow as well satisfaction of needs. PDM, therefore, has the potential of decreasing appreciably burnout at workplace. It is only through PDM that workers can resolve personal conflicts and misunderstandings. Social Support Research indicates that workplaces where friendly social network exist amongst employees have limited stress-related issues. Social support may include emotional support. In emotional support, individuals show love and care for others. Workers need to boost each other’s morale through story telling or sending encouraging messages that help in raising self-esteem. Hardiness Hardiness refers to developed thoughts about life. It is considerable in three basic forms as attitude, commitment, challenge and control. Hardy skills help in dealing with social problems at workplace and in life. The skills also help an individual to develop a sense of self-care. Hardy persons develop the mind that burnout or stress are just but challenges but not necessarily threats. They develop control measures over the problem and finally overcome it. Optimism Real expectations of the future and the mind that it is brighter and manageable define optimism. Optimistic individuals have positive minds of overcoming problems and challenges because of the assurance of a promising future. They remain determined to achieve their coveted goals and cannot allow stress or fatigue to stop them. Resources for Coping with Stress Burnout victims can obtain professional assistance form Compassion Fatigue Awareness Projects, chaplain services or nursing homes. These professional agencies educate burnout victims or depressed individuals of self-methods for achieving compassionate care about oneself. References Bush, N. (2009). Compassion Fatigue: Are You At Risk?. Oncology Nursing Forum, 36(1), 24-28. doi:10.1188/09.ONF.24-28. Chen, C., Lin, C., Wang, S., & Hou, T. (2009). A Study Of Job Stress, Stress Coping Strategies, And Job Satisfaction For Nurses Working In Middle-Level Hospital Operating Rooms. Journal Of Nursing Research (Taiwan Nurses Association), 17(3), 199-211. Doi:10.1097/JNR.0b013e3181b2557b Ekedahl, M., & Wengström, Y. (2008). Coping Processes in a Multidisciplinary Healthcare Team -- A Comparison of Nurses in Cancer Care and Hospital Chaplains. European Journal of Cancer Care, 17(1), 42-48. Espeland, K. (2006). Overcoming Burnout: How to Revitalize Your Career. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 37(4), 178-184. Gupta, V., & Woodman, C. (2010). Managing Stress in a Palliative Care Team. Paediatric Nursing, 22(10), 14-18. Read More