Compassion fatigue in healthcare professionals during the Covid-19 pandemic: Integrative review

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v10i7.17028

Keywords:

Compassion fatigue; Stress psychological; Coronavirus infections; Health personnel; Mental health.

Abstract

Introduction: Health professionals attend to all types of emergencies and patients, such as those affected by COVID-19, facing critical and stressful situations that can favor the development of compassion fatigue (CF). Objective: To characterize the scientific production and synthesize the most relevant aspects of CF in health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Integrative literature review in the databases BVS, MEDLINE via PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science and Scopus. For the search strategy, the following descriptors were used: “compassion fatigue”, “health personnel” and “coronavirus infections”. The inclusion criteria were original articles published from March 2020 to February 2021, available electronically in their entirety, without language restrictions, and that assessed CF in health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Thirteen articles were eligible and, from the analysis of these, two categories emerged: presence of CF and factors related to CF. Conclusion: Health professionals presented CF, predominantly in women, physicians, nurses and those working in specific care units for patients with COVID-19. Among the factors related to CF were mental health, ethical, occupational and sociodemographic issues. The findings indicate the need for assessment, monitoring and treatment of this condition in health professionals during the pandemic.

References

Aslan, H., Erci, B., & Pekince, H. (2021). Relationship between compassion fatigue in nurses, and work-related stress and the meaning of Life. Journal of Religion and Health, 2, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-020-01142-0

Borges, E. M. das N., Fonseca, C. I. N. da S., Baptista, P. C. P., Queirós, C. M. L., Baldonedo-Mosteiro, M., & Mosteiro-Diaz, M. P. (2019). Compassion fatigue among nurses working on an adult emergency and urgent care unit. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem, 27. https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.2973.3175

Borges, T. P., Schulz, R. da S., Magalhães, J. B. de, Campos, L. M., Anjos, K. F. dos, & Rosa, D. de O. S. (2021). Stigmas related to Covid-19 and their prevention. Physis: Revista de Saúde Coletiva, 31(1), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1590/s0103-73312021310103

Buselli, R., Corsi, M., Baldanzi, S., Chiumiento, M., Del Lupo, E., Dell’Oste, V., Bertelloni, C. A., Massimetti, G., Dell’Osso, L., Cristaudo, A., & Carmassi, C. (2020). Professional quality of life and mental health outcomes among health care workers exposed to Sars-Cov-2 (Covid-19). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(17). https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17176180

Cavanagh, N., Cockett, G., Heinrich, C., Doig, L., Fiest, K., Guichon, J. R., Page, S., Mitchell, I., & Doig, C. J. (2020). Compassion fatigue in healthcare providers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nursing Ethics, 27(3), 639–665. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733019889400

Committee for the Coordination of Statistical Activities. (2020). How COVID-19 is changing the world: A statistical perspective, Volume II. UNICEF DATA. https://unstats.un.org/unsd/ccsa/documents/covid19-report-ccsa_vol2.pdf

Dosil, M., Ozamiz-Etxebarria, N., Redondo, I., Picaza, M., & Jaureguizar, J. (2020). Psychological symptoms in health professionals in Spain after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.606121

Figley, C. R. (2002). Compassion fatigue: Psychotherapists’ chronic lack of self-care. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(11), 1433–1441. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.10090

Litam, S. D. A., & Balkin, R. S. (2020). Moral injury in health-care workers during COVID-19 pandemic. Traumatology, 27(1), 14–19. https://doi.org/10.1037/trm0000290

McCann, I. L., & Pearlman, L. A. (1990). Vicarious traumatization: A framework for understanding the psychological effects of working with victims. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 3(1), 131–149. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.2490030110

Mendes, K. D. S., Silveira, R. C. de C. P., & Galvão, C. M. (2008). Revisão integrativa: Método de pesquisa para a incorporação de evidências na saúde e na enfermagem. Texto & Contexto - Enfermagem, 17(4), 758–764. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-07072008000400018

Orrù, G., Marzetti, F., Conversano, C., Vagheggini, G., Miccoli, M., Ciacchini, R., Panait, E., & Gemignani, A. (2021). Secondary traumatic stress and Burnout in healthcare workers during COVID-19 outbreak. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(1). https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18010337

Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., … Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71

Pérez-Chacón, M., Chacón, A., Borda-Mas, M., & Avargues-Navarro, M. L. (2021). Sensory processing sensitivity and compassion satisfaction as risk/protective cactors from Burnout and compassion fatigue in healthcare and education professionals. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(2). https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020611

Ramaci, T., Barattucci, M., Ledda, C., & Rapisarda, V. (2020). Social stigma during COVID-19 and its impact on HCWs outcomes. Sustainability, 12(9), 3834. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12093834

Ruiz‐Fernández, M. D., Ramos‐Pichardo, J. D., Ibáñez‐Masero, O., Cabrera‐Troya, J., Carmona‐Rega, M. I., & Ortega‐Galán, Á. M. (2020). Compassion fatigue, burnout, compassion satisfaction and perceived stress in healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 health crisis in Spain. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 29(21–22), 4321–4330. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15469

Samaniego, A., Urzúa, A., Buenahora, M., & Vera-Villarroel, P. (2020). Sintomatología asociada a trastornos de salud mental en trabajadores sanitarios en paraguay: Efecto COVID-19. [Symptomatology associated with mental health disorders in health workers in Paraguay: COVID-19 effect.]. Revista Interamericana de Psicología, 54(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.30849/ripijp.v54i1.1298

Secosan, I., Virga, D., Crainiceanu, Z. P., & Bratu, T. (2020). The mediating role of insomnia and exhaustion in the relationship between secondary traumatic stress and mental health complaints among frontline medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. Behavioral Sciences, 10(11), 164. https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/bs10110164

Souza, C. G. V. M. de, Benute, G. R. G., Moretto, M. L. T., Levin, A. S. S., Assis, G. R. de, Padoveze, M. C., & Lobo, R. D. (2019). Qualidade de vida profissional na saúde: Um estudo em Unidades de Terapia Intensiva. Estudos de Psicologia (Natal), 24(3), 269–280. https://doi.org/10.22491/1678-4669.20190028

Stamm, B. H. (2010). The Concise ProQOL Manual. https://proqol.org/uploads/ProQOLManual.pdf

Stetler, C. B., Morsi, D., Rucki, S., Broughton, S., Corrigan, B., Fitzgerald, J., Giuliano, K., Havener, P., & Sheridan, E. A. (1998). Utilization-focused integrative reviews in a nursing service. Applied Nursing Research: ANR, 11(4), 195–206. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0897-1897(98)80329-7

Teixeira, C. F. de S., Soares, C. M., Souza, E. A., Lisboa, E. S., Pinto, I. C. de M., Andrade, L. R. de, & Espiridião, M. A. (2020). A saúde dos profissionais de saúde no enfrentamento da pandemia de Covid-19. Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, 25, 3465–3474. https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-81232020259.19562020

Trumello, C., Bramanti, S. M., Ballarotto, G., Candelori, C., Cerniglia, L., Cimino, S., Crudele, M., Lombardi, L., Pignataro, S., Viceconti, M. L., & Babore, A. (2020). Psychological adjustment of healthcare workers in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic: Differences in stress, anxiety, depression, Burnout, secondary trauma, and compassion satisfaction between frontline and non-frontline professionals. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(22). https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228358

Ursi, E. S. (2005). Prevenção de lesões de pele no perioperatório: Revisão integrativa da literatura [Dissertação, Universidade de São Paulo]. https://doi.org/10.11606/D.22.2005.tde-18072005-095456

Vagni, M., Maiorano, T., Giostra, V., & Pajardi, D. (2020a). Hardiness, stress and secondary trauma in italian healthcare and emergency workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sustainability, 12(14), 5592. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12145592

Vagni, M., Maiorano, T., Giostra, V., & Pajardi, D. (2020b). Coping with COVID-19: Emergency stress, secondary trauma and self-efficacy in healthcare and emergency workers in Italy. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 566912–566912. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12145592

Vizheh, M., Qorbani, M., Arzaghi, S. M., Muhidin, S., Javanmard, Z., & Esmaeili, M. (2020). The mental health of healthcare workers in the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review. Journal of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders, 19(2), 1967–1978. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40200-020-00643-9

World Health Organization. (2020). Report of the WHO-China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/who-china-joint-mission-on-covid-19-final-report.pdf

World Health Organization. (2021). WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard. https://covid19.who.int

Zhou, Q., Lai, X., Wan, Z., Zhang, X., & Tan, L. (2021). Impact of burnout, secondary traumatic stress and compassion satisfaction on hand hygiene of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nursing Open, 00, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.786

Published

30/06/2021

How to Cite

COIMBRA, M. A. R.; IKEGAMI, Érica M.; FERNANDES, A. P. de F. .; VIRTUOSO JÚNIOR, J. S.; FERREIRA, L. A. Compassion fatigue in healthcare professionals during the Covid-19 pandemic: Integrative review. Research, Society and Development, [S. l.], v. 10, n. 7, p. e51610717028, 2021. DOI: 10.33448/rsd-v10i7.17028. Disponível em: https://rsdjournal.org/index.php/rsd/article/view/17028. Acesso em: 18 apr. 2024.

Issue

Section

Health Sciences