An extremely large proportion of intense experiences—birth,
death, trauma, dire illnesses, dramatic procedures—occur at
Barnes-Jewish Hospital. The health care staff is on the front lines
of these experiences, which can lead to compassion fatigue.
Compassion fatigue is described as the “cost of caring”
for others in emotional pain. Compassion fatigue is a form
of traumatic stress that can cause feelings of inadequacy
as a caregiver, the inability to let go of work-related issues,
loss of hope, lack of energy and irritability. It also can cause
caregivers to become less empathetic and less engaged
with patients.
In 2009, because of concern about compassion fatigue,
three nurse managers from oncology units at Barnes-Jewish
approached Patricia Potter, RN, PhD, director of research
for patient care services, and Teresa DeShields, PhD, manager
of psycho-oncology services. Potter and DeShields conducted
a survey of staff on the oncology units and found that burnout
and secondary traumatic stress were high enough to warrant
intervention to help caregivers and patients.
“Secondary traumatic stress comes from caring for people
who are experiencing trauma,” Potter says. “Repeated
exposure to patients’ loss, pain and suffering can lead
to similar feelings in the care providers.”
As a result of the survey findings, The Foundation for
Barnes-Jewish Hospital funded a successful pilot program in
2010 for oncology nurses to combat compassion fatigue and
stress. Soon, staff in the emergency department and intensive
care units began attending compassion fatigue classes.
In 2011, The Foundation funded an initiative to roll out
the Compassion Fatigue Resiliency Program to all hospital
employees—with a recognition that even if employees are
not giving direct clinical care or treatment, they still may
be involved in caring for the hospital’s patients, and are
vulnerable to the cost of caring.
Unique in the United States, the program was developed
specifically for Barnes-Jewish by Eric Gentry, PhD, a certified
traumatologist and pioneer in the field of compassion fatigue.
Through the Compassion Fatigue Resiliency Program, the
health care staff learns skills to recognize signs and to prevent
compassion fatigue.
“It helps remind caregivers that they’re doing this to relieve
patient suffering, or to give hope,” says Cheryl Palmer,
manager of spiritual care services at Barnes-Jewish. “Being
able to help patients through stressful times, to help them
recover, to comfort their family, to changes lives and to
witness people’s lives being changed can be immensely
moving and fulfilling. It’s more than a job. It’s a calling
for some people to work in health care.”