Dealing with Emotional Vulnerability and Anxiety in Nurses from High-Risk Units—A Multicenter Study

Esther Arimon-Pagès, Paz Fernández-Ortega, Núria Fabrellas-Padrés, Ana María Castro-García and Jaume Canela-Soler
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Esther Arimon-Pagès: Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Paz Fernández-Ortega: Faculty of Health Sciences, Campus Bellvitge, University of Barcelona (UB), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Núria Fabrellas-Padrés: Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
Ana María Castro-García: Primary Care Nurse, Servicio Madrileño de Salud, 28020 Madrid, Spain
Jaume Canela-Soler: Department of Basic Clinical Practice, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB), 08036 Barcelona, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 9, 1-11

Abstract: Compassion fatigue and anxiety derived from continued exposure to trauma and death greatly impact nurses’ quality of care and quality of life, increasing their desire to leave work. The aim of the study is to assess compassion fatigue and anxiety prevalence and their association with secondary variables. A multicenter, cross-sectional study in nurses from four high-risk units, Emergency, Intensive Care, Oncology, and Pediatrics, was carried out in 14 hospitals in Catalonia (Spain) between 2015 and 2016. The primary endpoints were compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue (burnout and secondary traumatic stress), which were assessed by Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL), and anxiety, assessed with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Multivariable logistic regression analyzed the association of sociodemographic, training, working, and psychological factors. Of a total of 1302 nurses, 18.6% presented low compassion satisfaction; 19.7%, high burnout; and 36.4%, high secondary traumatic stress. Trait anxiety scored high in 7.2%. Although compassion satisfaction was present, it did not protect sufficiently against the high level of compassion fatigue or anxiety present in nurses in all centers. The working conditions in the units and variables showed a strong association with nurses’ desire to leave. This corroborates the global challenge of healthcare professionals’ shortage. Participants expressed the need for better training in emotional management.

Keywords: compassion; anxiety; compassion fatigue; burnout; secondary traumatic stress; nursing care (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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