Date
4-2022
Department
Rawlings School of Divinity
Degree
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Chair
Brent Kelly
Keywords
Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, Hospice, Clinical Staff
Disciplines
Christianity | Religion
Recommended Citation
Cole, Ruth Elisabeth, "Compassion Fatigue and Burnout: When Caring Becomes Too Much" (2022). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 3498.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/3498
Abstract
The purpose of this DMIN thesis is to provide resources and education for clinical staff to recognize and reduce compassion fatigue and burnout. Compassion fatigue and burnout in hospice clinical staff is a sizeable issue. Clinical staff was defined as doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and aides due to their direct and constant contact with dying patients. By providing resources and education on what compassion fatigue and burnout look like and the primary causes, the study aimed to help clinical staff in the hospice care setting to reduce the damage caused by compassion fatigue and burnout. Resources including counseling sessions, peer conversations, and a calming room were provided as outlets for staff to decompress stressful matters related to end-of-life care of patients and families. Research was collected through surveys and questionnaires by participants.
