In 1992, emergency room nurse Carla Joinson noticed that her colleagues were suffering from a different form of burnout. They weren’t simply tired, but rather experiencing profound emotional fatigue, a feeling of being completely drained.
Although they felt great personal and professional satisfaction from caring for those most in need, the daily exposure to the suffering of others and the stress inherent in their profession made them more prone to what they called “compassion fatigue.”
The cost of caring for others: compassion fatigue
Compassion fatigue affects the ability to think clearly, manage emotions assertively, and cope effectively with daily life. Although it can occur in all professions related to caring for others, from physicians to veterinarians, it manifests itself particularly strongly in nursing staff. In fact, it is estimated that between 10 and 43% of nurses suffer from mild or severe compassion fatigue.
The classic symptom is a decreased capacity for empathy and a growing detachment. The person focuses more on tasks and less on the human aspect. The other classic symptom is profound physical and emotional exhaustion , which many describe as “feeling fatigue in every cell of your being,” which ultimately significantly affects daily functioning and well-being.
This intense fatigue is often accompanied by a negative mood dominated by emotions such as anger, intolerance, irritability, cynicism, bitterness, and resentment. Obviously, these emotional changes also negatively impact decision-making, cloud judgment, impair concentration, and cause memory lapses, negatively impacting the person’s work and daily life.
In the short term, compassion fatigue often causes minor health issues, such as headaches, nausea, or dizziness. However, when it persists over time, it can increase the risk of developing more serious illnesses and fuel feelings of incompetence and powerlessness that lead to maladaptive responses and disorders such as anxiety and depression.
How to prevent compassion fatigue in your daily life?
You probably spend your entire day listening to, accompanying, and supporting patients. But who’s taking care of you? You don’t have to be at your limit to start taking care of yourself. The sooner you integrate small wellness practices, the easier it will be to sustain your vocation without it taking its toll. Recent research has identified three essential pillars for preventing compassion fatigue in healthcare workers: mindfulness, self-care, and resilience.
1. Mindfulness: Much More Than Deep Breathing
Mindfulness isn’t just about sitting in the lotus position or meditating with the sunrise. It’s about learning to stop and reconnect with what you’re feeling here and now, without judgment. And yes, that also includes stopping in the middle of your shift to reset your mind.
How to apply it in your daily life?
- Before you come to work, take 10 deep breaths before you walk through the door. Literally. That’s all. It’ll help you rebalance your emotions, calm down, and start your shift feeling refreshed.
- Between patients, pay attention to your body. Clenched jaw? Tense shoulders? Consciously relax those muscles. That way, you won’t accumulate all that tension throughout the day.
- After your shift, when you get home, spend a minute in silence before doing anything. Notice how you feel. It’s not about “getting ready,” but about acknowledging and paying attention to yourself.
2. Realistic self-care, a form of prevention even if you have a thousand things to do
You might think self-care is a luxury, but in this case, it’s a medical prescription. You have to take care of yourself to continue taking care of yourself. And it’s not just about “getting a good night’s sleep” (although that counts too), but about making space in your life for what recharges you emotionally.
How to apply it in your daily life?
- Take pleasant mini-breaks. Bring a snack you love to work, make yourself a cup of tea, or listen to a peaceful audio recording. And dedicate 5 minutes to doing nothing else. It’s about pampering yourself a little in the midst of the hustle and bustle to recharge your batteries.
- At the end of the day, instead of checking your phone on autopilot, make a quick list of what you’ve done well or things you’re grateful for. This will help you reconnect with the satisfaction, joy, and meaning of your profession.
- Create rituals that protect you and emotionally detach from work, such as taking a relaxing hot shower, listening to your favorite music before bed, or spending quality time with your family. These are all part of self-care and essential for maintaining your mental balance.
3. Resilience, the invisible muscle you must train
Resilience is not only the ability to cope when things go wrong, but also the ability to thrive in adverse environments. It means knowing how to endure, but also how to adapt. And when you develop it, it not only increases your perception of self-efficacy but also reduces the stress with which you react to everyday problems.
How to apply it in your daily life?
- Lean on others. It’s important not to repress your emotions, so if you have trusted colleagues at work, you can spend some time talking unfiltered: what hurt, what frustrated, what relieved you. Being heard and feeling understood has enormous therapeutic power.
- Questions to grow from, not just endure. There will be tough times, but how you deal with them can make all the difference. At the end of a difficult week, ask yourself: What did I learn from this? What can I change so it doesn’t hurt so much? It seems simple, but this shift in focus greatly strengthens resilience and encourages you to adopt a proactive attitude, rather than simply reacting to what happens.
- Prepare your “emergency emotional kit.” Anything can be helpful, from a calming song to a photo that reminds you why you started, or a small object that anchors you during the toughest moments of your job. The important thing is to be clear about what to turn to when everything seems to fall apart or your stress levels skyrocket.
In short, remember that you need to recharge your batteries daily and treat yourself with the same care, compassion, and concern you show others. Sometimes, we can be very hard on ourselves and push ourselves too hard. The secret to avoiding compassion fatigue is knowing how to take care of yourself by incorporating small everyday gestures and actions that protect you and serve as a shield when suffering or stress escalates.
References:
Collier, J. et. Al. (2024) An integrative review of strategies to prevent and treat compassion fatigue in oncology nurses. Can Oncol Nurs J; 34(1): 28-37.
Ye, L. et. Al. (2024) The prevalence and related factors of compassion fatigue among nursing interns: a cross-sectional study. BMC Nurs; 23: 762.
Paiva-Salisbury, M. & Schwanz, K. (2022) Building Compassion Fatigue Resilience: Awareness, Prevention, and Intervention for Pre-Professionals and Current Practitioners. J Health Serv Psychol; 48(1): 39-46.
Stoewen, D. L. (2020) Moving from compassion fatigue to compassion resilience Part 4: Signs and consequences of compassion fatigue. Can Vet J; 61(11): 1207-1209.
Izaguirre, A. et. Al. (2020) Effectiveness of a nursing program of self-care and Mindfulness, in the approach to the common mental disorder in primary care. Aten Primaria; 52(6): 400-409.
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