Newswise — January 13, 2016 – Trauma team members are at risk of compassion fatigue and burnout syndrome, as supported by the new research by Gina M. Berg, PhD, MBA, of University of Kansas School of Medicine–Wichita and colleagues. Authors identify some "stress triggers" contributing to these risks, and make recommendations to help trauma teams cope with secondary traumatic stress, reports a study in the January issue of Journal of Trauma Nursing. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.
The researchers performed a focus group study with twelve trauma team members at a Level I trauma center. Participants discussed their positive and negative experiences in helping patients suffering from traumatic injury: "compassion satisfaction" and "compassion fatigue," respectively.
Focus group participants also discussed burnout, factors contributing to stress on the trauma unit, and self-care and coping mechanisms. In addition, they completed surveys evaluating their stress levels and risk for compassion fatigue, burnout syndrome, and secondary traumatic stress.
Indirect Traumatic Stress Has Emotional Impact on Trauma TeamsCompassion fatigue is a condition of secondary stress seen in people who experience trauma indirectly. Previous research indicates that trauma team members suffering from compassion fatigue may be emotionally exhausted, depressed, and anxious. They may feel as if they have failed at their profession, and have lost their capacity to nurture.
Studies of compassion fatigue also mention burnout syndrome—defined as exhaustion, loss of interest, detachment, and low levels of personal effectiveness. Trauma, emergency, and critical care nurses are among the groups at high risk for both conditions.
The participants agreed that events of abuse were "stress triggers"—especially child or elder abuse, or any trauma involving a child. Other triggers included events where multiple family members were injured, injuries from avoidable situations, and "senseless" deaths. Interactions with family members and problems with the trauma team working together were additional contributing factors.
Even though all of the focus group participants reported low or mild stress levels, most scored in the moderate to high range for secondary trauma stress. One-third of participants had a combination of low compassion satisfaction and high burnout, while another one-fourth had moderate levels of burnout. Three-fourths of trauma team members had moderate to high levels of secondary trauma stress.
"Participants did not feel they experienced compassion fatigue often, and when they did, coping strategies appeared to differ between respondents," Dr. Berg and colleagues write. Although the trauma team members reported no training in managing secondary stress, they felt able to deal with it. They used a wide range of group and independent coping strategies, such as talking to other team members or making time for themselves. They also reported positive aspects of being part of the trauma team including team cohesiveness and pride, educating others, making a difference, and saving lives.
While trauma team members said compassion fatigue was an infrequent experience, their assessments indicate presence of compassion fatigue and burnout. "This suggests trauma team members may not be as adept at managing work stressors as well as they perceive," the researchers write.
Dr. Berg and coauthors recommend some approaches for supporting coping on trauma teams—starting by acknowledging that compassion fatigue not only exists, but is an expected reality of working on the trauma unit. Dr. Berg and colleagues conclude, "The use of these strategies can contribute to a developing a culture in which compassion fatigue and burnout are accepted realities for trauma care workers and allow staff to participate in support without fear of collegial judgment."
Article: "Exposing Compassion Fatigue and Burnout Syndrome in a Trauma Team: A Qualitative Study" (doi: doi: 10.1097/JTN.0000000000000172)
About Journal of Trauma NursingAs the official publication of the Society of Trauma Nurses, the Journal of Trauma Nursing supports the STN’s strategic goals of effective communication, education and patient advocacy with original, peer-reviewed, research and evidence-based articles and information that reflect the highest standard of collaborative care for trauma patients. The Journal of Trauma Nursing, through a commitment to editorial excellence, implements STN’s vision to improve practice and patient outcomes and to become the premiere global nursing organization across the trauma continuum.
About The Society of Trauma NursesThe Society of Trauma Nurses is a professional nonprofit organization whose mission is to ensure optimal trauma care to all people locally, regionally, nationally and globally through initiatives focused on trauma nurses related to prevention, education and collaboration with other healthcare disciplines. The Society of Trauma Nurses advocates for the highest level of quality trauma care across the continuum. We accomplish this through an environment that fosters visionary leadership, mentoring, innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration in the delivery of trauma care.
About Wolters KluwerWolters Kluwer is a global leader in professional information services. Professionals in the areas of legal, business, tax, accounting, finance, audit, risk, compliance and healthcare rely on Wolters Kluwer's market leading information-enabled tools and software solutions to manage their business efficiently, deliver results to their clients, and succeed in an ever more dynamic world.
Wolters Kluwer reported 2014 annual revenues of €3.7 billion. The group serves customers in over 170 countries, and employs over 19,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. Wolters Kluwer shares are listed on NYSE Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices. Wolters Kluwer has a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt program. The ADRs are traded on the over-the-counter market in the U.S. (WTKWY).
For more information about our products and organization, visit www.wolterskluwerhealth.com, follow @WKHealth or @Wolters_Kluwer on Twitter, like us on Facebook, follow us on LinkedIn, or follow WoltersKluwerComms on YouTube.
RSS