Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.14400/JDC.2020.18.11.581

An Exploration of the Experience of Compassion Fatigue in Nurses Working with Oncology Patients  

Kim, Soo Hyun (Interdisciplinary Program in Social Welfare Policy, Yonsei University)
Kim, Min Ah (Department of Social Welfare, Sungkyunkwan University)
Publication Information
Journal of Digital Convergence / v.18, no.11, 2020 , pp. 581-593 More about this Journal
Abstract
This study aimed to understand experiences of compassion fatigue reported by nurses providing services to oncology patients and families. We conducted in-depth interviews with 8 nurses currently working in oncology. Three main themes and 13 subthemes were extracted from the thematic analysis suggested by Braun and Clarke. Participants experienced compassion fatigue while feeling the sufferings transferred from patients and caregivers. The stress resulted from unique nature of oncology work added to their compassion fatigue. Participants became running low on empathy towards oncology patients and caregivers because of external work environments and negative perceptions on compassion. The results of the study inform health care professionals about increasing awareness of compassion fatigue of nurses working with oncology patients and families and the importance of providing interventions to promote their individual and professional quality of life.
Keywords
Oncology patients; Nurses; Compassion fatigue; Quality of life; Qualitative research;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 2  (Citation Analysis)
연도 인용수 순위
1 J. Y. Seo & M. Yi. (2017). Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study on Caring Experience of Nurses Working in a Chemotherapy Ward in Korea. Asian Oncology Nursing, 17(1), 55-67. DOI : 10.5388/aon.2017.17.1.55   DOI
2 V. Braun & V. Clarke. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. DOI : 10.1191/1478088706qp063oa   DOI
3 E. G. Guba & Y. S. Lincoln. (1981). Effective evaluation: Improving the usefulness of evaluation results through responsive and naturalistic approaches. California: Jossey-Bass.
4 L. C. Barbour. (2016). Exploring oncology nurses' grief: A self-study. Asia-Pacific Journal of Oncology Nursing, 3(3), 233-240. DOI : 10.4103/2347-5625.189817   DOI
5 J. Wenzel, M. Shaha, R. Klimmek & S. Krumm. (2011). Working through grief and loss: Oncology nurses' perspectives on professional bereavement. Oncology Nursing Forum, 38(4), E272-E282. DOI : 10.1188/11.ONF.E272-E282   DOI
6 Y. S. Lee & Y. S. Tae. (2012). The lived experience of the burnout of nurses working in oncology wards. Asian Oncology Nursing, 12(1), 100-109.   DOI
7 K. S. Heo & E-J. Park. (2016). Clinical nurses' perceived or experienced obstacles and supportive behaviors in providing care for terminally ill cancer patients. Asian Oncology Nursing, 16(3), 147-157. DOI : 10.5388/aon.2016.16.3.147   DOI
8 J. Duarte & J. Pinto-Gouveia. (2017). The role of psychological factors in oncology nurses' burnout and compassion fatigue symptoms. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 28, 114-121. DOI : 10.1016/j.ejon.2017.04.002   DOI
9 P. Nilsson. (2014). Are empathy and compassion bad for the professional social worker? Advances in Social Work, 15(2), 294-305.   DOI
10 E. M. Hansen, J. H. Eklund, A. Hallen, C. S. Bjurhager, E. Norrstrom, A. Viman & E. L. Stocks. (2018). Does feeling empathy lead to compassion fatigue or compassion satisfaction? The role of time perspective. The Journal of Psychology, 152(8), 630-645. DOI : 10.1080/00223980.2018.1495170   DOI
11 P. Jakel, J. Kenney, N. Ludan, P. S. Miller, N. McNair & E. Matesic. (2016). Effects of the use of the provider resilience mobile application in reducing compassion fatigue in oncology nursing. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 20(6), 611-616. DOI : 10.1188/16.CJON.611-616   DOI
12 S. Wu, S. Singh-Carlson, A. Odell, G. Reynolds & Y. Su. (2016). Compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction among oncology nurses in the United States and Canada. Oncology Nursing Forum, 43(4), E161-E169. DOI : 10.1188/16.ONF.E161-E169   DOI
13 C. Maslach & S. E. Jackson. (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 2(2), 99-113. DOI : 10.1002/job.4030020205   DOI
14 C. R. Figley. (1995). Compassion fatigue: Toward a new understanding of the costs of caring. In B. H. Stamm (Ed.), Secondary traumatic stress: Self-care issues for clinicians, researchers, and educators, 3-28. MD: The Sidran Press.
15 N. Najjar, L. W. Davis, K. Beck-Coon & C. Carney Doebbeling. (2009). Compassion fatigue: A review of the research to date and relevance to cancer-care providers. Journal of Health Psychology, 14(2), 267-277. DOI : 10.1177/1359105308100211   DOI
16 T. Pehlivan & P. Guner. (2018). Compassion fatigue: The known and unknown. Journal of Psychiatric Nursing, 9(2), 129-134. DOI : 10.14744/phd.2017.25582   DOI
17 D. A. Boyle. (2011). Countering compassion fatigue: A requisite nursing agenda. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 16(1), 2. DOI : 10.3912/OJIN.Vol16No01Man02   DOI
18 I. L. McCann & L. A. Pearlman. (1990). Vicarious traumatization: A framework for understanding the psychological effects of working with victims. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 3(1), 131-149. DOI : 10.1002/jts.2490030110   DOI
19 S. Brint. (2017). Obligated to care: A personal narrative of compassion fatigue in an oncology nurse. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 35(3), 296-309. DOI : 10.1177/0898010116661391   DOI
20 L. Barrett & P. Yates. (2002). Oncology/haematology nurses: A study of job satisfaction, burnout, and intention to leave the specialty. Australian Health Review, 25(3), 109-121. DOI : 10.1071/AH020109   DOI
21 S. Kim et al. (2010). Oncology nurses' professional quality of life in a tertiary hospital. Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research. 16(3), 145-155.
22 A. Girgis, V. Hansen & D. Goldstein. (2009). Are Australian oncology health professionals burning out? A view from the trenches. European Journal of Cancer, 45(3), 393-399. DOI : 10.1016/j.ejca.2008.09.029   DOI
23 J. Berger, B. Polivka, E. A. Smoot & H. Owens. (2015). Compassion fatigue in pediatric nurses. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 30(6), e11-e17. DOI : 10.1016/j.pedn.2015.02.005   DOI
24 E. Arimon-Pages, J. Torres-Puig-Gros, P. Fernandez-Ortega & J. Canela-Soler. (2019). Emotional impact and compassion fatigue in oncology nurses: Results of a multicentre study. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 43, 101666. DOI : 10.1016/j.ejon.2019.09.007   DOI
25 G. N. Partlak, B. Ustun, A. P. Sercekus & B. D. Buyukkaya. (2019). Secondary traumatic stress experiences of nurses caring for cancer patients. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 25(1), e12717. DOI : 10.1111/ijn.12717   DOI
26 H. R. Kim & I. S. Kwon. (2014). A phenomenological study on oncology adaptation experiences of new nurses. Asian Oncology Nursing, 14(2), 127-138. DOI : 10.5388/aon.2014.14.2.127   DOI
27 S. Kleiner & J. E. Wallace. (2017). Oncologist burnout and compassion fatigue: Investigating time pressure at work as a predictor and the mediating role of work-family conflict. BMC health Services Research, 17(1), 639. DOI : 10.1186/s12913-017-2581-9   DOI
28 S. J Kim & H. Na. (2017). A study of the relationships between compassion Fatigue, compassion satisfaction,depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders among oncology nurses. Asian Oncology Nursing,17(2), 116-123. DOI : 10.5388/aon.2017.17.2.116   DOI
29 J. Y. No & H-R. Ahn. (2016). Compassion fatigue experience of oncology nurses. Journal of Korea Academia-Industrial Cooperation Society, 17(1), 304-314. DOI : 10.5762/KAIS.2016.17.1.304   DOI
30 D. Wells-English, J. Giese & J. Price. (2019). Compassion fatigue and satisfaction: Influence on turnover among oncology nurses at an urban cancer center. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 23(5), 487-493. DOI : 10.1188/19.CJON.487-493   DOI
31 B. A. Finley & K. G. Sheppard. (2017). Compassion fatigue: Exploring early-career oncology nurses' experiences. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 21(3), E61-E66. DOI : 10.1188/17.CJON.E61-E66   DOI