IJFANS International Journal of Food and Nutritional Sciences

ISSN PRINT 2319 1775 Online 2320-7876

The Hidden Cost Of Caring: Exploring Compassion Fatigue Among Mental Health Professionals Amid Covid-19 Crisis.

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Sumaiya Khan,Prof. Sheema Aleem

Abstract

Covid-19 had a universal effect on everyone, touching upon each and every person’s life, whether infected by it or not. Its effect is so much so that even healthcare workers were not spared from its residual effect in various forms. With the rise in COVID-19, the demand for mental health care needs also increased, leading to increased fatigue and burnout, which ultimately led to compassion fatigue among mental health professionals. Compassion fatigue is an empathetic response resulting from recurrently observing the emotional or physical suffering of others or repeatedly listening to a person’s trauma from mental or physical dysfunction, affecting the professional’s overall health, leading to high turnover and absenteeism, impacting the quality of patient care and decrease in patient’s trust and confidence. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the causes of compassion fatigue among mental health professionals amid the Covid-19 crisis. The data was collected and interpreted following a Thematic approach. Twelve participants were purposively selected, practicing in the field of mental health for the past five years or more. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Data was analyzed and interpreted into themes discovered during the analysis. Links between the themes and processes underpinning the results were explored with existing literature. Four themes were generated: 1. Similarity, 2. Workload, 3. Declined self-care and 4. Therapist’s self-efficacy. The causes for compassion fatigue as perceived by mental health professionals were discussed further. Understanding the causes of Compassion fatigue among mental health professionals will help in planning appropriate interventions, to further help professionals to work at their maximum potential and provide services to the community at large, while maintaining their own mental well-being, along with contributing towards illustrating and escalating upon prior research concerning variables allied with compassion fatigue.

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