Perceptions and Experiences of Critical Care Nurses on Compassion Fatigue in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the qualitative study of the phenomenological type; to determine the perceptions and experiences of critical care nurses regarding compassion fatigue in the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: The study was conducted with 9 nurses working in the adult intensive care units of a hospital caring for COVID-19 patients in Istanbul in May 2021. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview form and by conducting focus group interviews with nurses. Content analysis was used to evaluate the data. Three main themes and twelve sub-themes were determined as administrative problems in the COVID-19 pandemic, the positive and negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on critical care nurses.Results: The difficulties experienced by critical care nurses in teamwork, managerial problems, motivating patients and colleagues, improvement in empathy skills, asocial and isolated life, fears, ethical dilemmas, unknowns, burnout, compassion fatigue that developed against themselves and their feelings about their struggle during the pandemic process and expressed their experiences.Conclusion: It was seen that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused physical, psychosocial, and politico-economic effects, especially burnout in critical care nurses. It is recommended that these effects be noticed, and necessary improvements should be made in employee personal rights and psychological support should be provided.