ICU Compassion

Fatigue: Project
Proposal
Marisa Yoder, RN
Boise State University
Darcy Anderson, RN, MSN
2
 Compassion fatigue is a condition
characterized by emotional and physical
exhaustion leading to a diminished
ability to empathize or feel compassion
for others, often described as the
negative cost of caring. It is sometimes
referred to as secondary traumatic stress.

(Mason et al., 2014)

Why Change Is Needed
⊳ ICU compassion fatigue  Burnout  PTSD
⊳ Physical & emotion toll in addition to job toll
○ Minimal support or known support from facility
⊳ Career expectancy is roughly 6 years
○ Increasing turnover rates (Kompanje, 2018)
○ Decreased job satisfaction rates

4
Project Purpose
⊳ The purpose of this project is to address the issues
with ICU compassion fatigue while providing
education and solutions to promote change withing the
organization.

5
Stakeholders
Stakeholder Project’s effect on stakeholder

Management Will bring to light the real issues with nursing turnover and to that the
issues may need more attention than it is getting in order to make the
necessary changes.

Staffing Could potentially cause some issues with staffing ratios and how the
ICU is staffed in order to deal with the lack of breaks, uninterrupted
lunches, and short staffing.
Charge Nurses Increased responsibility on charge nurses to ensure that their staff has
had adequate lunches and breaks
Doctors Physician intimidation and lack of professionalism could cause a
necessary in service on bedside manner and appropriate actions of lack
thereof.
Nurses Nurses will be impacted by getting the relief that is needed for
continuously working in high stress environments.

6
Thesis Statement
⊳ Hospital facilities should provide more education and
support for staff at the greatest with for ICU
compassion fatigue so that the staff can better
recognize when further help is needed.

7
Desired Project Outcomes
⊳ Outcome #1:
○ Increase the number of staff who have been educated on
ICU compassion fatigue measured by hospital class
attendance.
⊳ Outcome #2:
○ Identify the themes or tends that are contributing to ICU
compassion fatigue measured by a survey of ICU nursing
staff.

8
Key Points
⊳ Compassion fatigue is a crisis
⊳ Quality of patient care is at risk from long-term skills drain
or continuous emotional distress
⊳ 38.5% of ICU staff reported secondary trauma (van
Mol, Kompanje, Benoit, Bakker, & Nijkamp, 2015)
⊳ Policymakers should introduce interventions to reduce long
term consequences
9
Desired Project Results
⊳ Increase nursing resilience within the ICU
⊳ Increase education among ICU staff
○ Easy access to resources and support
⊳ Increase job satisfaction
○ Reduce turn over rates related to burnout or
workplace trauma

10
Leadership Lessons Learned
⊳ Prioritize ⊳ Be adaptable to ⊳ Appoint QI
collaboration and changes based on champions to
strategic the organizations support effort
communication culture or specific ⊳ Educate
⊳ Celebrate success needs consistently
⊳ Offer relevant and ⊳ Be inclusive of ⊳ Address resistance
timely feedback frontline staff through unit
culture changes

11
Thanks! Any questions?
You can contact me at marisayoder@u.boisestate.edu

12
 References
⊳ Kompanje, E. J. O. (2018). Burnout, boreout and compassion fatigue on the ICU: It is not about work
stress, but about lack of existential significance and professional performance. Intensive Care
Medicine, 44(5), 690–691. doi: 10.1007/s00134-018-5083-2
⊳ Mason, V. M., Leslie, G., Clark, K., Lyons, P., Walke, E., Butler, C., & Griffin, M. (2014).
Compassion fatigue, moral distress, and work engagement in surgical intensive care unit trauma
nurses: A pilot study. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 33, 215-225.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/DCC.0000000000000056
⊳ van Mol, M. M. C., Kompanje, E. J. O., Benoit, D. D., Bakker, J., & Nijkamp, M. D. (2015). The
prevalence of compassion fatigue and burnout among healthcare professionals in intensive care units:
A systematic review. PLoS ONE, 10(9), 1–22. doi: 1371/journal.pone.0136955

13