Impact Of Educational Sessions On Compassion Fatigue Among Home Healthcare Nurses: An Evidence-Based Practice Project
Abstract
Background: Nurses are compassionate professionals who provide critical care, often at the expense of their own well-being. As the healthcare system faces rapid changes due to an aging population, nursing shortages, and the impact of COVID-19, compassion fatigue has become increasingly common. Despite its prevalence, few healthcare institutions address this issue. Objective: The objective of this DNP project was to evaluate whether weekly educational sessions enhanced perceptions of a positive quality of life, which typically declines with increased compassion fatigue, as measured by the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) scale. PICOT Question: Do weekly educational sessions on compassion fatigue (I) among nurses in home healthcare settings (P) improve scores (O) on the ProQOL scale over a 6-week period (T)? Methodology: The target population consisted of 50 home healthcare nurses. Participants attended weekly 20-minute educational sessions via Zoom that provided information on compassion fatigue and self-care strategies and aimed to enhance compassion satisfaction (CS). The ProQOL scale, which measures CS, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress (STS), was administered before and after the six-week intervention to assess changes in professional quality of life. Results: The intention-to-treat analysis revealed significant improvements in CS (p = .007) and reductions in burnout (p = .021), though no statistically significant reduction was observed in STS (p = .284). In the per-protocol analysis, the changes in CS remained significant (p = .027), whereas reductions in burnout (p = .103) and STS (p = .139) were not statistically significant. Conclusion: The educational sessions effectively increased the nurses’ fulfillment in their caregiving roles and reduced burnout. However, addressing STS may require more comprehensive interventions. The intervention positively impacted the nurses’ well-being and job satisfaction, reinforcing the importance of educational support in mitigating compassion fatigue. Implication for Practice: Educational interventions focused on compassion fatigue can be valuable in promoting the mental health of home healthcare nurses. By improving CS and reducing burnout, such programs contribute to a healthier work environment, leading to better patient care and increased nurse retention.
Keywords: compassion fatigue, burnout, compassion satisfaction, secondary traumatic stress, home healthcare nurses