Compassion Fatigue: A Comprehensive Discussion on its Development and Repercussions Among Oncology Nurses

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to discuss how compassion fatigue (CF) develops and its repercussions on the personal and professional lives of oncology nurses.

Methods: A discursive article, with systematic searches were performed in seven databases to find publications on CF in oncology nurses.

Results: So as to better organize the findings, three categories were developed to present and discuss issues related to CF: (1) Characteristics of CF and its developments: describes the components related to CF and the manifestation of this phenomenon; (2) Repercussions of compassion fatigue: reports on the impact of CF on the personal and professional life of oncology nurses; and (3) Resources for dealing with compassion fatigue: lists interventions, sources of support, professional personal training, qualified nursing care in the face of adversity, and gratitude and recognition.

Conclusion: the factors that trigger or protect CF are multifactorial, with the need for collective and individual interventions as a way of helping oncology nurses to protect themselves, to avoid or manage this phenomenon. CF has a direct clinical impact on the life of the oncology nurse, causing several changes. It also indirectly impacts the patient's life clinically, as it is a phenomenon that has repercussions on the provision of care.

Implications for nursing practice: CF affects the personal and professional lives of oncology nurses, so nurses need to seek resources to deal with it. Nursing staff employers and managers can use the evidence from this research to help nurses manage and protect themselves from compassion fatigue.

Keywords: Compassion Fatigue; Nurses; Oncology nursing; Review.