Compassion fatigue and stress related to cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a study of critical care nurses' experiences

Background: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is considered one of the most stressful experiences in critical care nursing; it directly and indirectly leads to compassion fatigue and burnout.

Aim: Determine the levels of and relationship between postcode stress and compassion fatigue.

Design and methods: A descriptive-correlational study using 300 critical care nurses from five intensive care units in two hospitals was conducted.

Tools: Demographic and work-related data, the Postcode Stress Scale, and the Professional Quality of Life Scale: Compassion Fatigue subscale.

Results: Nurses had moderate to high postcode stress and compassion fatigue (67.98 ± 16.39 and 65.40±14.34, respectively). Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between postcode stress, burnout (r=0.350, p=<0.001), secondary traumatic stress (r=0.518, p=<0.001), and subsequently, compassion fatigue (r=0.449, p=<0.001). In addition, higher levels of postcode stress were associated with higher levels of compassion fatigue with its subscales: burnout and secondary traumatic stress, with a coefficient of determination for compassion fatigue (0.199), burnout subscale (0.121), and secondary traumatic stress (0.266).

Conclusion: Critical care nurses involved in resuscitation experiences are susceptible to postcode stress, burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue. There is a significant relationship between these factors, with higher levels of postcode stress contributing to higher levels of compassion fatigue and its subscales: burnout and secondary traumatic stress. These results highlight the importance of addressing and managing the psychological well-being of nurses in resuscitation settings to mitigate the adverse effects of stress and promote their overall resilience and well-being.