Analysis of Compassion Fatigue Among Psychiatric Nurses and Its Effect on Spiritual and Competent Care

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Spring 4-15-2025

Abstract

Background

Psychiatric nurses are exposed to patients experiencing severe emotional, psychological and behavioural challenges, which can lead to diminished empathy, compassion and overall well-being. Compassion fatigue, primarily work-related burnout, stems explicitly from the emotional strain of caregiving. The increasing prevalence of compassion fatigue among psychiatric nurses is a significant issue that threatens their ability to deliver competent and compassionate care.

Aim

This study seeks to explore the relationship between compassion fatigue, spiritual care and the competence of psychiatric nurses, emphasising the effect of compassion fatigue on spiritual and competent care.

Method

This study employed a cross-sectional and correlational design on 322 psychiatric nurses from four hospitals in Alexandria, Sohag, Portsaid and Cairo, selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected through anonymous self-administered questionnaires distributed from March to May 2024. The instruments used included the Compassion Fatigue Self-Test (CFST) scale, the Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale (SSCRS), the Self-Liking and Competence Scale-Revised Version (SLCS-R) and a demographic questionnaire.

Findings

The study's findings revealed significant relationships between compassion fatigue, spirituality, spiritual care and competence among psychiatric nurses. Nurses reported a mean compassion fatigue score of 128.22, and the analyses showed that compassion fatigue negatively correlated with both spirituality and spiritual care (r = −0.411, p <  0.001) and competence (r = −0.196, p <  0.001). Additionally, spirituality and spiritual care were positively correlated with competence (r = 0.357, p <  0.001). Also, linear regression analyses indicated that compassion fatigue negatively impacted spirituality and spiritual care (β = −0.196, p <  0.001).

Implication

Enhancing nurses' spiritual care competence through training and support can foster a more compassionate and spiritually supportive environment for patients, which is crucial in psychiatric care settings where patients often face complex emotional and mental health challenges.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that psychiatric nurses can improve their ability to deliver spiritually and professionally competent care by mitigating compassion fatigue, thus improving patient outcomes and nurse well-being.

Comments

Summary • What is known about the research? ○ Compassion fatigue is prevalent among healthcare workers, particularly in high-stress environments like psychiatric nursing, leading to burnout and reduced job performance. ○ Spiritual care and competence are essential components of holistic care in nursing, but compassion fatigue can negatively impact these abilities. • What does this paper add? ○ This study demonstrates a clear negative correlation between compassion fatigue, spirituality/spiritual care and professional competence in psychiatric nurses. ○ It provides evidence that higher levels of compassion fatigue significantly reduce the ability of psychiatric nurses to offer spiritually sensitive and competent care. • Implications of this research ○ Interventions to reduce compassion fatigue, such as resilience training and emotional support, are critical in maintaining high levels of spiritual care and professional competence in psychiatric nursing. ○ Healthcare institutions should prioritise mental health resources and emotional support programmes for psychiatric nurses to improve patient care outcomes and nurse well-being.

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