Is compassion essential to nursing practice?

The Norwegian Nurses' Association recently (2001) approved a new code of ethics that included compassion as one of the basic values in nursing care. This paper examines the idea of compassion in the context of the Bible story of the Good Samaritan using an analysis of qualitative data from nurses' clinical work with psychiatric patients. The aim is to show how the idea of compassion challenges nursing practice. Thereafter, the paper discusses the benefits of and premises for compassion in care work. The results show that nurses tend not to be guided by compassion in their work with patients. The organisation of the day-to-day work in the hospital ward, the division of labour between nurses and doctors, and the nurses' approach to nursing were identified as influencing this tendency. The study shows that compassion is a radical concept with a potential to promote greater respect for patients' dignity.     

Concept analysis: compassion fatigue and effects upon critical care nurses

Walker and Avant's method of concept analysis was used to delve into the initial understanding of compassion fatigue, a relatively new concept being explored with critical care nurses and other health care professionals. The term was originally used in 1992 involving research exploring burnout experienced by critical care nurses when a trend emerged where nurses appeared to have lost their "ability to nurture." The term has since been used synonymously with secondary traumatic stress disorder. Two important goals exist for this article: First, theoretically to conduct a concept analysis of compassion fatigue, thereby providing information for critical care nurses to understand the concept as a universal human experience. Second, from a caring perspective, identifying the effects related to critical care nurses provides an opportunity to address physical and somatic consequences of compassion fatigue that will ultimately become important to nursing practice, education, and research.     

Compassion fatigue and coping strategies for hospital nurses

Over-involvement in patient trauma and loss in clinical settings negatively affects nurses and may cause compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue is associated with prolonged exposure to trauma cases, over-involvement in patient situations and over-extending caring energies. Nurses unable to adapt and cope may suffer physically and psychologically, reduce their quality of care, cause medical care costs to increase, and ultimately become frustrated and decide to leave the nursing profession. While current approaches to addressing compassion fatigue focus on evaluating individual nurse situations, adjusting attitudes, holding education programs, and bolstering support systems, little research attention has been directed toward the consequences of such on patient care or the origins of compassion fatigue in Taiwan nurses. This paper defines compassion fatigue, examines its importance and consequences, and delineates common nursing coping strategies in Taiwan. Findings expand domestic research on this phenomenon and suggest relevant theories and effective interventions to achieve remediation.     

儿科护士同情心疲乏现状及其对儿科护理质量的影响

目的分析儿科护士同情心疲乏现状及其对儿科护理质量的影响。方法 2016年1-12月便利抽样选取黄石市2所综合性医院、1所专科医院的262名儿科护士为研究对象,采用Stamm设计的专业生活品质量表(professional quality of life,Pro QOL)中文版调查儿科护士的同情心疲乏现状;通过参阅病历和现场调查的方法,对262名护士进行儿科护理质量评估。结果儿科护士同情心疲乏各维度得分为:二次创伤(22.84±4.04)分、倦怠(22.72±3.62)分和同情心满足(32.46±5.15)分;不同年龄、职称、学历、工作年限护士间各同情心疲乏维度得分差异有统计学意义(P0.05或P0.01);儿科护理质量得分为要素质量(31.22±2.24)分、环节质量(26.17±2.58)分、终末质量(31.41±2.38)分;护士同情心疲乏中的二次创伤和倦怠维度与儿科护理质量各指标评分呈负相关(P0.05),同情心满足与儿科护理质量各指标评分呈正相关(P0.05)。结论儿科护士存在明显的同情心疲乏,其中二次创伤、倦怠维度与儿科护理质量呈负相关,同情心满足维度与护理质量呈正相关。     

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: knowledge and attitudes of nurses in Northern Ireland

The number of people suffering from conditions associated with HIV infection is growing steadily. These people require care from nurses who should be well trained to undertake all the various aspects of nursing care. Surveys have indicated that health professionals associate AIDS with minority groups such as homosexuals, drug-abusers and prostitutes. Incidents of sub-optimal nursing care of AIDS patients, or suspected AIDS patients belonging to these minority groups, have been well documented. Surveys have revealed much ignorance and confusion among the general public as well as among health professionals with regard to this controversial syndrome. This study aimed to measure nurses' knowledge and attitudes towards homosexuals, drug-abusers and prostitutes, who through their lifestyle are at increased risk for HIV infection. Questionnaires were distributed to a random sample of 800 nurses in Northern Ireland. The sample was stratified by several demographic variables. A response rate of almost 60% was achieved. Nurses appeared to have a moderate knowledge of issues related to HIV infection, but there were large gaps in their knowledge of the terminology used in HIV infection. Nurses were not extremely worried about AIDS itself. However, homosexuals, prostitutes and drug-abusers were seen to be at least partly responsible for their own illness. Implications for nursing care and for nurse education are discussed.     

Sharing the challenge: mobilizing nurses against HIV/AIDS in Africa.

For two years ICN implemented a WHO/GPA-funded project in Africa to increase the capability and effectiveness of selected national nurses' associations (NNAs) to participate in their countries' campaigns to prevent HIV transmission; reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS on individuals, families and communities; and decrease morbidity and mortality associated with HIV/AIDS. The results have been gratifying. Not only have the nurses from the participating NNAs become a force to be reckoned with in their countries' HIV/AIDS efforts but they have activated major changes in nursing practice and in the delivery of care. Serving as role models, these nurses (numbering over 800) are mobilizing not only their colleagues but all others involved in caring for persons with AIDS.     

Compassion fatigue: a nurse's primer

Most nurses enter the field of nursing with the intent to help others and provide empathetic care for patients with critical physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. Empathic and caring nurses, however, can become victims of the continuing stress of meeting the often overwhelming needs of patients and their families, resulting in compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue affects not only the nurse in terms of job satisfaction and emotional and physical health, but also the workplace environment by decreasing productivity and increasing turnover. We begin this article with a case study of a reactive nurse who did not seek help for her continuing stress. This is followed by a review of Watson's theoretical perspective related to compassion fatigue. Next we delineate symptoms of, and describe interventions for addressing compassion fatigue. We conclude by presenting a case study of a proactive nurse who avoided developing compassion fatigue and a discussion of future research needed to better prevent and ameliorate compassion fatigue.     

Personal characteristics,coping strategies,and resilience impact on compassion fatigue in critical care nurses: A cross‐sectional study

Compassion fatigue is known to impact the well‐being of nurses and patient safety outcomes. Currently, there is limited academic understanding of the role of demographic factors in contributing to compassion fatigue in critical care nurses. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between nurse demographic characteristics and the development of compassion fatigue, as indicated by level of burnout and compassion satisfaction in critical care nurses in Saudi Arabia. The cross‐sectional study design included administering three surveys to critical care nurses (n = 321) in four Saudi public hospitals to examine the nurse demographic variables in relation to compassion fatigue, the compassion fatigue coping strategies of nurses, and nurse resilience. The results show both demographic and workplace structural elements, such as length of work shift, education level, and nationality, were all significant factors in resilience to compassion fatigue among Saudi critical care nurses, whereas factors of age and sex were not significant. This study concludes that the demographic characteristics of critical care nurses enable the identification of levels of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction, and their resilience to the effects of compassion fatigue.     

某三级综合医院护士同情疲劳及同情满意的影响因素分析

目的了解某三级综合医院护士同情疲劳和同情满意现状,对不同科室护士的同情疲劳和同情满意情况进行分析,探讨其影响因素,为护理管理者进行护士情绪管理提供依据。方法以某三级医院的246名护士为调查对象,采用问卷对护士的同情疲劳及同情满意现状进行调查,并对调查结果进行分析。结果某综合医院护士的同情满意度得分平均为（30．76±5．61）分,同情疲劳得分平均为（25．68±4．12）分,不同科室护士同情疲劳得分比较差异有统计学意义,ICU护士的同情疲劳程度最高,不同科室护士同情满意得分比较差异无统计学意义。结论某三级综合医院护士同情疲劳、同情满意处于中等水平,ICU护士同情疲劳程度高于其他科室,学历、职称、同事关系、经常加班、护龄与护士的同情疲劳水平有关,领导及家人的支持、科室、学历以及与同事关系与同情满意水平有关。     

HIV and the Work Intentions of Public Health Nurses

Abstract Studies have examined the association between attitudes about the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and nurses' willingness or intentions to work with infected persons. However, the relationship between these intentions and perceived concern from nurses' family and friends, or factors of professional nursing experience is relatively unexplored. An anonymous questionnaire was completed by 311 public health nurses from areas with high and low prevalence of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in North Carolina. Multiple regression analysis showed that nurses had stronger intentions to work with HIV-infected clients if they had more favorable attitudes about the disease, perceived friends and loved ones to be supportive of such work, had stronger professional ties to public health, and had worked fewer years in public health. In addition, nurses from low AIDS-prevalence areas had stronger intentions to work with these clients if they had professional nursing care experience with them. These findings are consistent with the Theory of Reasoned Action, but also identify professional nursing experience as independently associated with behavioral intentions. This suggests that attitudinal, normative, and professional experiences are all important in examining nurses' intentions to work with clients infected with HIV.     

An evaluation of community nursing services for HIV/AIDS patients in Lothian, Scotland

This paper reports on a postal questionnaire survey of district nurses' work with HIV positive patients Each nurse was asked to provide information about their contact with HIV positive patients and the level of training they had received in HIV/AIDS care The nature of nursing activities carried out for these patients was established along with levels of confidence the nurses had in being able to provide a high standard of care Where the nurses indicated less than full confidence they were asked to indicate what factors predisposed then- response Questionnaires were completed by 101 district nurses On average, each nurse made 1 25 visits to HTV-infected patients in the two weeks preceding the study The nursing activities most commonly carried out for these patients were providing advice/counselling, carer support, general nursing care and specialist treatments The activities least commonly earned out were technical procedures, tests and assessments Nurses were most confident in providing a high standard in relation to general nursing care and least confident that high standards were being achieved in providing specialist treatments The most frequently encountered explanations offered by the district nurses for their lack of confidence in achieving a high standard were a lack of specialist training and a lack of experience with HIV-infected patients     

急诊科护士同情心疲乏体验及其发展与对策的质性研究

目的 探讨急诊科护士同情心疲乏体验,分析相关因素与影响,并提出针对性策略.方法 采用最大差异抽样法,于2019年5月至2020年1月选取来自上海市3所三级甲等医院的11名急诊科护士进行半结构式个人访谈,采用Colaizzi七步分析法进行资料分析.结果 分析资料提炼得出4个主题:同情心疲乏体验复杂多样、同情心疲乏与多种因...     

急诊护士同情心疲乏干预策略的研究进展

本文对急诊护士同情心疲乏（CF）的干预现状进行综述，分析当前研究存在的不足及对未来护理工作的启示，旨在为护理管理者有效应对急诊护士同情心疲乏，进一步制订有针对性的干预措施提供参考和依据。     

HIV/AIDS and the workplace: perceptions of nurses in a public hospital in South Africa

AIM: The purpose of this article is to report a study of the perceptions and experiences of nurses caring for people living with HIV/AIDS in the public health sector in South Africa. BACKGROUND: The number of people living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa has escalated at an alarming rate. Many people being hospitalized are HIV positive, and hence nurses are in more regular and prolonged contact with people suffering from HIV/AIDS than is the case in other working environments. Although studies focusing on nurses' experiences of caring for patients with HIV/AIDS have been done in numerous countries, little is known about nurses' views in Africa, and South Africa in particular. To ensure quality care for patients with HIV/AIDS, it is important to understand nurses' experiences of nursing HIV-positive patients and how they may influence their attitudes towards these patients. METHOD: A qualitative approach was used, the primary method of data collection being in-depth interviews. These interviews were conducted with 35 nurses at a public hospital in the Gauteng province of South Africa in 2002-2003. FINDINGS: Seven themes were identified: helplessness, emotional stress and fatigue, fear, anger and frustration, occupational-related concerns, empathy, and self-fulfilment. CONCLUSIONS: Increased understanding of the stresses and rewards experienced by these nurses can contribute to policy development in this area. It is also important to provide appropriate preregistration and continuing education and support for nurses working in this field, and to ensure that the working environment is adequate in terms of resources.     

军队医院急诊科护士同情心疲乏与同情心满足水平及其工作相关影响因素分析

目的探讨军队医院急诊科护士同情心疲乏与同情心满足水平及其工作相关影响因素.方法2019年6-7月便利抽样选取军队医院急诊科护士145名,采用人口学及一般工作情况调查问卷、护士工作相关生活质量量表、中文版护士同情心负荷量表对其进行调查,对结果进行单因素分析和多元线性回归分析.结果被调查军队医院急诊科护士同情心疲乏得分为(22.90±5.88)分,处于中等水平;同情心满足得分为(35.06±7.31)分,处于中等偏上水平.急诊岗位、工作年限、是否遭受言语暴力以及接受心理调适培训是同情心疲乏与同情心满足的一般工作情况影响因素(均P<0.05);工作压力、工作评价是工作相关生活质量影响因素(均P<0.05).结论军队医院急诊科护士同情心疲乏与同情心满足水平受到部分工作相关因素影响,提示军队医院护理管理者应有针对性地关注这部分护士群体,为其提供机构与政策支持,以稳定军队医院急诊科护理人才队伍.     

护理人员共情疲劳状况的调查分析

目的调查护理人员共情疲劳现状并分析相关影响因素。方法采用一般情况调查表和共情疲劳自我评估量表对某三级乙等医院450名护理人员进行调查。结果护理人员共情疲劳自我评估量表得分为(70.36±18.65)分,其影响因素主要为工作年限、学历和夜班强度。结论护理人员共情疲劳较为严重,受多种因素影响,管理者应重视并改善护士共情疲劳的状况。