Addressing Compassion Fatigue Using Career Engagement and the Hope-Centered Model for Career Development

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacted a toll on healthcare workers, who have been required to work during times of great chal-lenge and scarcity, as well as risk to themselves, whilst continuing to provide care for others. This desire to alleviate the suffering of others puts healthcare workers at in-creased risk of compassion fatigue, a traumatic stress response that can develop from supporting others through emotional suffering and trying to alleviate that pain (Arpa-cioglu et al., 2020;Ruiz-Fernandez et al., 2020). Increased risk to this large population poses a challenge to career practitioners, who will need effective ways of support-ing these workers in healing. This paper discusses conceptualizing compassion fatigue through a ca-reer engagement lens, and propos-es the uses of the Hope-Centered Model of Career Development as a means of supporting reengagement. Through the reinstallation of hope, feelings of agency and achievement again become possible.

Police Resilience as a Multilevel Balance: Needs and Resources for Victim Support Officers

Providing face-to-face support to victims entails one the most intense stress- and trauma-laden exchanges of law enforcement tasks, which frequently triggers long lasting negative effects on police officer's psychological wellbeing. When exploring this phenomenon, police resilience is often interpreted as police officers' and organization's capacity to react and recover from negative experiences and impediments, and as such it may be perceived as both a trait and a trainable and promotable skill. Yet, in very recent times, police resilience has faced new or transformed challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as victims, citizens, and public institutions have encountered new needs and situations. Drawing from a unique qualitative, in-depth research with police officers that provide support to victims of gender-based and domestic violence, this paper analyzes officers' needs and challenges regarding their interactions with victims, colleagues, superiors, and other occupational demands, as they interplay into stress and trauma that may lead to burnout and compassion fatigue. Illustrated with the empirical findings of the case study of the Catalonia's Mossos d'Esquadra police corps, the paper explores how officers negotiate individuals' expectations, needs, and procedures signals towards potential challenges and threats to their psychological wellbeing with implications for police forces and other public and private institutions. The specific needs and demands of the participants' policing, related to support to gender-based and domestic violence, presents an in-depth analysis of how stress and trauma are understood and experienced from the police officers' perspectives.

The relationship between professional quality of life and caring behaviors of nurses working during the covid-19 pandemic

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the professional quality of life and caring behaviors of nurses during the covid-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted in 2022. The study population was all nurses working in selected hospitals of Iran University of Medical Sciences. 124 nurses working during the covid-19 epidemic by using convenience method were selected. Data collected by using the demographic and occupational information form, nurses' caring behavior questionnaire (wolf), and professional quality of life questionnaire (STAMM). All questionnaires were completed by self-report method. Data were analyzed by Spearman's correlation coefficient, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and linear regression. SPSS Ver. 22 was used. Findings: The mean and standard deviation of the total care behaviors were equal to 82.06±7.76. The mean and standard deviation of the total professional quality of life was equal to 106.18±18.31. The results of the Spearman correlation coefficient test showed that the relationship between the professional quality of life and caring behavior is positive and significant (P<0.05). Linear regression method showed a significant and direct linear relationship between the two variables. Conclusion: According to the findings, the professional quality of life had a significant relationship with caring behaviors. It is suggested that nursing leaders have plans to improve the nurses' professional quality of life and their readiness to face crisis conditions such as Covid-19 to increase the ability of nurses to care. © 2023, Tarbiat Modares University. All rights reserved.

The effects of online support program for nurses with COVID-19 patients on the professional quality of life and psychological empowerment perception: a randomized controlled trial

Objectives: This study examines the effects of an online support program for nurses with Covid-19 patients on their professional quality of life and psychological empowerment.Methods: This parallel randomized controlled experimental study with a pre-and post-test was prepared using the CONSORT 2010 checklist. This study was conducted online from July to December 2020 in Turkiye. The study was con-ducted with 48 nurses intervention group (n=24);control group (n=24) who were directly involved in the care of pa-tients with Covid-19. The study data were collected using a personal information form, the Professional Quality of Life Scale and the Psychological Empowerment Scale (PES). An eight-session online support program was administered to the intervention group once a week. The scales were re-administered to the intervention and control groups after the program.Results:The intervention group's post-test PES (t=-2.757;p=0.008;d=0.79) and compassion satisfaction scores (t=-3.887;p=0.000;d=1.12) increased significantly;their burnout (t=2.917;p=0.005;d=0.84) and compassion fatigue (t=3.134;p=0.003;d=0.90) post-test scores decreased significantly (p<0.05). The intervention group's post-test PES (t=-4.926;p=0.000;d=1.01) and compassion satisfaction scores (t=-3.524;p=0.002;d=0.71) were significantly higher than their pre-test scores, and their compassion fatigue post-test score (t=3.646;p=0.001;d=0.72) was significantly lower (p<0.05).Conclusion: This study's online support program for nurses with Covid-19 patients increased their psychological em-powerment and compassion satisfaction, and reduced their levels of burnout and compassion fatigue.

Preventing compassion fatigue among educators: An educator resiliency study during the COVID-19 pandemic

In this chapter, we present both quantitative and qualitative findings from the Educator Resiliency Project, which aimed to understand educators' risk and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic and distance learning among 321 educators in a diverse and urban school district in Northern California. The quantitative findings revealed how educators' perceptions of online teaching self-efficacy, educators' social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies, and school connectedness factors concurrently and interactively influenced educators' compassion fatigue during the pandemic;and the qualitative findings illustrated the main themes of sources contributing to their compassion fatigue and other individual struggles during the distance learning. Based on the quantitative and qualitative findings, we also discussed the practical implications and strategies to prevent compassion fatigue and promote wellness among educators during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Spanish psychometric properties of the moral distress scale-revised: a study in healthcare professionals treating COVID-19 patients.

BACKGROUND: Moral distress appears when a healthcare professional is not able to carry out actions in accordance with their professional ethical standards. The Moral Distress Scale-Revised is the most widely used to assess levels of moral distress, but it is not validated in Spanish. The aim of the study is to validate the Spanish version of the Moral Distress Scale - utilised within a sample of Spanish healthcare professionals treating COVID-19 patients. METHODS: The original (english) and the portuguese and french versions of the scale were translated into spanish by native or bilingual researchers and reviewed by an academic expert in ethics and moral philosophy as well as by a clinical expert. RESEARCH DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional study carried out using a self-reporting online survey. The data was collected between June- November 2020. A total of 661 professionals responded to the survey (N = 2873). PARTICIPANTS: healthcare professionals with more than two weeks of experience treating COVID-19 patients at the end of their life and working in the public sector of the Balearic Islands Health Service (Spain). Analyses included descriptive statistics, competitive confirmatory factor analysis, evidence on criterion-related validity and estimates of reliability. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee at the University of Balearic Islands. RESULTS: An unidimensional model in which a general factor of moral distress explained by 11 items of the Spanish version of the MDS-R scale was an adequate representation of the data: χ2(44) = 113.492 (p 0.001); Comparative Fit Index = 0.965; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation = 0.079[0.062,0.097]; and Standarized Root Mean-Square = 0.037. Evidence of reliability was excellent: Cronbach's alpha = 0.886 and McDonald's omega = 0.910. Moral distress was related to discipline, with nurses having statistically significant higher levels than physicians. Additionally, moral distress successfully predicted professional quality of life, with higher levels of moral distress being related to poorer quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: The Spanish version of Moral Distress Scale-Revised can be used as a reliable and valid measurement tool for the evaluation of moral distress experienced by health professionals. This tool will be highly useful for managers and applicable to a variety of healthcare professionals and settings.

The grit of mental health professionals: Initial conceptualization and measurement

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused additional strain and disruption to an already strained mental health workforce. Life disruption, compassion fatigue, and traumatic stress are contributing to record levels of burnout. Efforts are needed to improve retention and the well-being of mental health providers, yet little is known about the personal traits that contribute to compassion satisfaction during difficult times. Professional grit is an emerging concept that has broad applicability and makes a potentially unique contribution to the experiences of professionals in the context of COVID-19. Our paper describes perceptions of professional grit and its association with compassion fatigue and traumatic stress. A small exploratory study was used to analyze results from an online survey of mental health workers (N = 31). Measures included compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and grit, along with open-ended questions to explore perceived contributors to grit. Results confirmed the added stress mental health professionals are working under and 29% met the cut-off for significant traumatic stress symptoms. Participants' responses were coded and a primary theme and contributor to professional grit is coping, inclusive of adaptation, self-care, perseverance, and professional and personal support. Further, participants identifying the coping skills of self-care, adaptation, and perseverance scored higher on a measure of professional grit. Our study also suggests that grit and suffering are not mutually exclusive, such that many of our participants reported components of professional grit and also reported posttraumatic stress and compassion fatigue symptoms. More extensive studies on the function of professional grit and services to improve coping skills are needed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Navigating the Storm: Palliative Care Team Supportive Insights During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Sci242)

Outcomes: 1. Analyze protective and risk factors affecting registered nurses who provided end-of-life care to critically ill patients during the COVID pandemic. 2. Evaluate ways involvement of palliative care teams can improve the experience of registered nurses who provided care to critically ill patients during the COVID pandemic. Introduction: Minimal research documents the lived experience of intensive care unit (ICU) registered nurses (RNs) providing end-of-life care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The mixed-methods study aimed to understand the impact of end-of-life care and communication during the COVID-19 pandemic to identify protective and risk factors influencing the sample population. Method(s): Surveys were distributed in early summer 2021 following the initial wave of COVID patient influx. Responses for nurses in COVID-designated units were compared to non-COVID units. The survey included demographic questions, the ProQOL survey instrument (measuring burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress), and open-ended questions to identify protective factors and unique challenges. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted. Result(s): A total of 311 registered nurses were eligible to complete the survey across five critical care settings between May 3, 2021, and June 15, 2021. A total of 107 participants responded to the survey;however, 17 were incomplete. 90 allowed for comparative analysis. The vast majority (n= 71;78.89%) had experience caring for COVID patients. The study population consisted of COVID-designated unit RNs (n=48;53.33%) and non-COVID designated units (n=42;46.67%). Two-group comparison indicated significant differences for compassion (p=0.041), burnout (p=0.014), and stress subscales (p=0.002). Analysis between both groups revealed significantly lower mean compassion scores and significantly higher burnout and stress scores among those working in the COVID-designated units. Nurses in both groups were able to identify protective factors and challenges. Conclusion(s): Despite higher levels of burnout and stress and lower levels of compassion, nurses readily identified various protective factors that helped them cope with challenges. Involvement of palliative care teams, who are uniquely equipped to deal with complicated symptom management needs, communication challenges, and difficult emotions, can further improve the experience of bedside nurses providing care to patients by helping navigate the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.Copyright © 2023

Psychological distress among teaching staff during the COVID-19 pandemic: A transdiagnostic perspective on profiles of risk and resilience.

Teaching staff are especially vulnerable to COVID-19-related stress, due to the significant demands they have experienced. Yet, many have shown resilience-good mental health despite stress exposure. The current study used a person-centered approach to identify distinct profiles according to individual differences in psychosocial risk and protective factors. Latent Profile Analysis and ANOVAs were employed among 350 Israeli teaching staff during the fourth wave of COVID-19. Two distinct profiles, "risk" (55%) and "resilience" (45%) were identified. While groups showed no differences in COVID-19-related stress outcomes, they consistently differed in their psychological reaction to COVID-19 (psychopathology, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction).

Compassion fatigue and COVID-19: A global view from nurses.

BACKGROUND: Due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 variants, the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 may create psychological burdens on nurses. Nurses with high levels of compassion fatigue (CF) are more likely to make work errors, deliver poor-quality care, and have greater intent to leave their position. OBJECTIVES: This study utilized the social-ecological model to examine factors associated with nurses' CF and compassion satisfaction (CS) during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Data were collected from the United States, Japan, and South Korea from July to December 2020. The Professional Quality of Life Scale was used to measure burnout (BO), secondary traumatic stress (STS), and CS. RESULTS: Data from 662 responses were used in the analysis. Mean scores were 25.04 (±6.44) for BO, 24.81 (±6.43) for STS, and 37.85 (±7.67) for CS. Multiple regression analyses indicated that resilience and intention to leave nursing were related to each study outcome (i.e., BO, STS, and CS). Greater resilience predicted lower BO and STS but greater CS, whereas intention to leave nursing indicated greater BO and STS, but lower CS. Furthermore, intrapersonal factors and organizational factors (i.e., nurses involved in developing policies to prepare for COVID-19 patients, organizational support, and personal protective equipment [PPE] provisions) were related to BO, STS, and CS. LINKING EVIDENCE TO PRACTICE: To promote nurses' psychological well-being, improvement of organizational factors such as support, PPE, and programs to enhance resilience is recommended to prepare for future emerging infectious disease crises.

A multi-method quasi-experimental study to assess compassion satisfaction/fatigue in nurses, midwives and allied health professionals receiving a narrative medicine intervention.

AIMS: To: (1) measure the impact of a narrative medicine intervention on compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction of nurses, midwives and allied health professionals; (2) explore participants' working experiences and (3) their impressions of the intervention. DESIGN: Multi-methods, quasi-experimental before-after intervention design. METHODS: The intervention consisted of 20 narrative medicine sessions (60 h). Healthcare providers (N = 48) from a mother-and-child hospital in Italy completed the 'Professional quality of life' questionnaire before and after the intervention (January 2020-April 2021). Baseline scores served as internal controls. Open-ended questions explored participants' touching experiences at work and their evaluation of the intervention. A thematic content analysis was performed. Reporting followed the TREND and SRQR guidelines. RESULTS: The differences before-after intervention in compassion satisfaction or fatigue scores were not statistically significant. Three themes emerged from participants' touching experiences: "Witnessing death and sufferance"; "Witnessing violence" and "Organizational stressors during COVID-19". A statistically significantly higher median score for post-intervention compassion satisfaction was found among participants who reported at least one touching experience compared to those who had no touching experience. Four themes emerged from the reported strengths of the program: "Learning to exteriorize feelings"; "Team building"; "Useful to rework personal/professional journey" and "Develops professional empowerment". Two themes emerged from reported weaknesses: "Programme organization" and "Participants' difficulties in sharing experiences". CONCLUSION: A time-limited narrative medicine intervention is not sufficient to produce significant changes in satisfaction or compassion fatigue, especially if implemented during a pandemic. However, such an intervention holds promise for supporting nurses and midwives' professional empowerment and promoting continuity of compassionate care. IMPACT: For those at risk of compassion fatigue, policymakers need to invest in training in narrative medicine, which promotes team building, and employee well-being and thus favours compassionate care. Such programmes should be offered to undergraduate students to nurture compassion and attention to self. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Does not apply as the study only includes health care providers.

Secondary trauma, burnout, and teacher self-care during COVID19: A mixed-methods case study.

Manifestations of teacher burnout have been negatively associated with students' academic achievement, school satisfaction, and perceived teacher support. The 2020-2021 school year presented unique challenges for teachers, who had to find new ways to support their students, their families, and themselves. This study examined teachers' experiences with secondary trauma, burnout, and self-care during COVID-19 at one K-5 trauma-informed school, the Wellington (pseudonym). We chose a mixed-methods convergent design utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data to support the findings. Using three measures, the Professional Quality of Life Scale, Mindful Self-Care Scale, and Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale, in fall 2020 and spring 2021, we examined 19 faculty and educational staff members' perceptions of and experiences with secondary trauma, burnout, and self-care. In spring 2021 we interviewed 13 of these teachers. Teachers noted how COVID-19 brought increased responsibilities at home and school, as well as disrupted self-care routines. However, data indicate stable compassion satisfaction, low secondary trauma, and average range burnout. Notably, faculty reported self-care in the form of supportive relationships and sense of purpose. These findings suggest that a trauma-informed approach may foster a supportive work environment, mitigating burnout.

Compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and self-care among child trauma

Child trauma counselors are at elevated risk for burnout, posing a legitimate concern for society as routine exposure to the trauma of others has been linked to clinical error, so finding ways to sustain counselor well-being is vital. The current study used the compassion fatigue-compassion satisfaction theory integrated with positivistic psychology constructs. The quantitative associative-correlational method explored relationships between the Professional Quality of Life-V (burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction) and self-care. In September of 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Qualtrics collected response data from volunteer participants recruited from certified Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral therapists (N = 295). The data was analyzed using a Spearman rank-order correlation. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between self-care and burnout (p < .01;correlation coefficient r = -.60) and between self-care and secondary traumatic stress (p < .01;correlation coefficient r = -0.21) while a significant positive correlation between self-care and compassion satisfaction (p < .01;correlation coefficient r = 0.50) was found. The results suggest that self-care enhances compassion satisfaction, serving as a buffer to burnout and secondary traumatic stress, affording worker resiliency. The study model recognized adjunctive factors related to positive outcomes encompassing personal resiliency, self-efficacy, individual empowerment, and intrinsic motivation for peak performance fueling the restorative, proactive self-care practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress in teachers: How they contribute to burnout and how they are related to trauma-awareness

Introduction: Teachers play an integral role in providing positive life experiences for their students and are especially crucial for students who are experiencing or have experienced a trauma in their lives. In Australia however, teachers are increasingly stating that they do not plan on remaining in the profession causing media and governments to warn of a teacher shortage. Several key factors for teacher attrition have been proposed, with burnout being described as a contributing factor). Studies which have focused specifically on teachers' experiences working with students with histories of trauma have suggested links between lack of trauma-aware training and increased levels of compassion fatigue (CF), secondary traumatic stress (STS), and burnout. Methods: This paper draws on established research into CF, STS and burnout as well as trauma awareness of teachers using a narrative topical approach to explore the challenges faced by teachers and students in a post-covid landscape. Results: The results of this review suggest a need for additional research into the impact on teachers of working with an increasingly traumatized student body. Conclusion: The lack of trauma-specific training reported by pre-service and current teachers indicate a need for higher education institutions and schools to better prepare teachers to support traumatized students while safeguarding their own wellbeing. Copyright © 2023 Oberg, Carroll and Macmahon.

An investigation of personal and professional secondary traumatic stress predictors in urban school personnel

Due to the high rates of exposure to potentially traumatic events in childhood, educators may experience high levels of indirect trauma exposure that can lead to adverse consequences, such as Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS). STS is a potential "constellation of symptoms that may run parallel to those of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) including symptoms of intrusion, avoidance, arousal, and emotional numbing" (Molnar et al., 2017, p. 130). However, STS remains understudied in the school personnel population. This quantitative survey study explored to what extent a set of professional (i.e., supervisor support, colleague support, trauma-informed practices professional development, professional role) and personal factors (self-care, personal trauma history, perceived dosage of student trauma, and subjective impact of the COVID-19 pandemic) predicted STS scores for a sample of 225 urban school personnel. Analyses included conducting descriptives and a series of hierarchical and moderation multiple regression analyses. Results reveal 41.2% of the participants met criteria for STS on the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (Bride et al., 2007). The results suggest the set of personal factors are significantly associated with STS scores. Professional factors, however, were found to be less strongly related, with the possible exception of supervisor support. Finally, the results suggest supervisor support may moderate or positively impact the relationship between some risk factors (e.g., perceived dosage of student trauma) and STS scores. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The impact of compassion fatigue in K-12 teachers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic education return-to-learn process

Throughout the past two years, education has seen a significant number of changes as schools, educators, and students navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. As teachers transitioned between instructional modes, including hybrid and remote instructional practices, they have seen the role of the teacher shift and evolve. Given these changes, teachers have endured a various challenges that contributed to the possibility of compassion fatigue. This study sought to understand the experience of the teacher and the impact of compassion fatigue (specifically looking at burnout and secondary traumatic stress) on teachers, exploring potential predictors of compassion fatigue. This study used the ProQOL path model as a conceptual framework, focusing on the contributing factors experienced in the teacher's work environment, client (or student/classroom) environment, and person environment. Grounded in a pragmatic philosophical approach to research, this study used a survey research methodology. This study included participants who were K-12 teachers from across the United States, with a majority of participants from the mid-western states. Independent samples t-test revealed that females had a higher rate of compassion fatigue than males, as indicated by higher scores for both burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that a participant's years employed in education, gender, resilience, and compassion satisfaction were predictors of compassion fatigue when looking at secondary traumatic stress. Similarly, hierarchical regression analyses indicated that resilience and compassion satisfaction were predictors of compassion fatigue when looking at burnout. Recommendations for teachers (and teacher organizations), school administrators, and school boards are discussed, along with recommendations for future research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Compassion Fatigue and Risk Factors in Nurses in the Covid-19 Pandemic

Background: Nurses may experience compassion fatigue due to the nature of the nursing profession, the pandemic period can increase this risk, and this can affect the nurse, the patient, and the health care system negatively. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the compassion fatigue experienced by nurses during the pandemic process. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 280 nurses working in a hospital in Eskişehir. A structured questionnaire and the Compassion Fatigue-Short Scale were used as measurement tools. Results: The mean compassion fatigue score of the nurses was found as 68.36 (25.81). The compassion fatigue score of the nurses who were female, were graduates of health vocational high school, had 6-10 year of work experience, wanted to quit the job, worked for more than 48 hours a week during the pandemic, were anxious about being infected with the COVID-19 virus and spreading it to their family, and had family members diagnosed with COVID-19 was found to be significantly high. In addition, nurse's gender, weekly working hours, thoughts about the profession, feelings and experiences about the COVID-19 virus were determined to be risk factors for compassion fatigue. Conclusion: Considering the effect of compassion fatigue on nurses and the field of care, we recommend that nurses should be supported in this regard and that qualitative studies and prospective cohort studies with larger samples should ne planned. © 2022, Dokuz Eylul University. All rights reserved.

Consequences of caring: The manifestation of compassion fatigue in high school teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic

The purpose of this research study was to explore the symptoms of compassion fatigue as experienced by teachers in grades 9-12 during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the research on the effects of compassion fatigue on educators is relatively sparse, the literature regarding compassion fatigue in other helping professions revealed a 12-symptom framework. Data collection strategies included individual virtual interviews and field notes. Analysis of data occurred in four phases: (a) analyzing transcripts and identifying themes, (b) categorization of data under the 12 symptoms of compassion fatigue, (c) building the explanation in narrative form, and (d) re-examination of the data. The triangulation of data protected the credibility of the analysis through multiple interview sources and member checking.The results revealed that the physical, emotional, professional, and personal experiences described in the teacher interviews exemplified the 12 established symptoms of compassion fatigue. The results suggested that concern for student experiences during the pandemic combined with other contributing factors to manifest a variety of individual symptoms in participants. The most common contributing factors for participants included concerns for the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of students, student academic issues, feelings of being overwhelmed/overloaded at work, and anger and frustration with the school administration and the school system. The themes that emerged from the data analysis indicate that the most common manifested symptoms include lack of sleep, stress and anxiety, thoughts of leaving the teaching profession, and disconnection from family and friends. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Predicting compassion fatigue among psychological hotline counselors using machine learning techniques.

During the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019, psychological hotline counselors frequently address help-seekers' traumatic experiences from time to time, which possibly causes counselors' compassion fatigue. The present study aimed to explore the predictors of compassion fatigue among a high-risk population of psychological hotline counselors. Seven hundred and twelve psychological hotline counselors were recruited from the Mental Health Service Platform at Central China Normal University, Ministry of Education, then were asked to complete the questionnaires measuring compassion fatigue, trait empathy, social support, trait mindfulness, counselor's self-efficacy, humor, life meaning, and post-traumatic growth. A chi-square test was utilized to filter for the top-20 predictive variables. Machine learning techniques, including logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, k-nearest neighbor, support vector machine, and naïve Bayes were employed to predict compassion fatigue. The results showed that the most important predictors of compassion fatigue were meaning in life, counselors' self-efficacy, mindfulness, and empathy. Except for the decision tree, the rest machine learning techniques obtained good performance. Naïve Bayes presented the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.803. Random forest achieved the least classification error of 23.64, followed by Naïve Bayes with a classification error of 23.85. These findings support the potential application of machine learning techniques in the prediction of compassion fatigue. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-021-01776-7.

Professional quality of life and fear of COVID-19 among Spanish nurses: A longitudinal repeated cross-sectional study.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate changes in compassion fatigue (CF), burnout (BO), compassion satisfaction (CS) and fear of COVID-19 among Spanish nurses by comparing two assessment points: before and after the COVID-19 vaccination campaign. BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has produced a great impact in healthcare worker's professional quality of life, especially among nurses. CF, BO and fear of COVID-19 decisively affect the care provided by nurses and put them at risk for mental health problems, so longitudinal studies are essential. DESIGN: A repeated cross-sectional design was carried out with a time-lapse of 12 months. METHODS: A total of 439 registered nurses in December 2020 and 410 in December 2021 participated in this study through an online survey. Data were collected using the Professional Quality of Life Questionnaire and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Occupational and sociodemographic variables were also analysed. This article adheres to the STROBE guidelines for the reporting of observational studies. RESULTS: The fear of COVID-19 has not been reduced among nurses. The levels of BO remain stable and continue to be high in half of the professionals. CF has been reduced with a small effect size (d = 0.30), while CS has also decreased (d = 0.30). Positive correlations were found in both assessment points between fear of COVID-19 and BO (r = .44, p ≤ .001; r = .41, p ≤ .001) and also between fear of COVID and CF (r = .57, p ≤ .001; r = .50, p ≤ .001). Negative correlations between fear and CS were also found (r = - .16, p = .001; r = - .22, p ≤ .001). RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Programmes to reduce fear of COVID-19, BO and CF are needed to improve mental health and to prevent psychological distress among nurses, as well as to increase CS and preserve the productivity and quality of nursing care. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: The nurses collaborated by participating in the present study anonymously and disinterestedly.