Examining the Relationship between Empathy and Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction in Pediatric Nurses

Abstract

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) and burnout (BO) are natural consequences of exposure to the suffering of others. Nurses have frequent exposure to such suffering. Empathy is thought to play a role in the development of STS and BO. There may be other factors that contribute to or protect against their development as well. A descriptive correlational study was conducted with a convenience sample of 108 pediatric nurses. Participants completed a questionnaire that included the Professional Quality of Life Scale Version 5, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index and questions about factors related to STS and BO. Results demonstrated that 81.5% of the sample was at moderate to high-risk for STS, 72.2% were at moderate to high-risk for BO, and 73.1% had moderate to high levels of compassion satisfaction (CS). The blurring of professional boundaries was associated with higher STS. Empathy demonstrated a stronger association with CS than STS or BO.