Essay On Compassion Fatigue

Compassion fatigue is defined as “The emotional residue or strains of exposure to working with those suffering from the consequences of traumatic events” (The American Institute of Stress, n.d.). Compassion fatigue occurs when healthcare workers, especially those who work with patients one-on-one daily, feel the emotional stress of their jobs starting to wear on them. For example, a person who works with a cancer patient and watches that patient worsen and finally pass away, may experience great emotional pain. Dealing with stressful situations over time could also cause compassion fatigue. One way to prevent compassion fatigue is through implementation of Schwartz rounds. “Schwartz rounds are not 'problem solving'. Instead, the focus is on

I am compelled to help others in need. Mentally, I know it is not feasible to help everyone, but that does not stop me from trying. In addition, when my clients are in pain, I am also hurt because I have emotionally committed myself to each one of them. I must learn to establish borders to emotionally separate myself from my clients and their problems. I can be compassionate and empathize, but when my workday ends, it ends, and my personal life begins. When I feel stressed, I listen to my favorite music on my iPod or play my one of my favorite computer games. This is my way of zoning out and just forgetting about everything around me. It relieves my anxiety and the stress of the day, and it helps prevent burnout. In addition, I need to make sure I take time for me to be with friends and not forget to

I now realize how important it is to be a good listener. I must listen carefully to each client to assess their needs and connect them to all available resources in the community. Before this class, it never occurred to me that patients have the right to play an active role of their healthcare and should be included in the recovery process. However, most importantly, I learned about dual relationships. The reason why I developed a passion for the Human Services field was my interaction with the amazing volunteers at my workplace. Every one of them has a developmental delay, but they have so much compassion for others that they volunteer in our kitchen. I have become friends with many of them, and because of this, it would be unethical for me to work for the same company that provides them with