WATSON’S THEORY OF CARING AND COMPASSION FATIGUE

Description

Many people consider nurses to be caring and compassionate. “Individuals, families, andentire communities seek nurses for support, healing, and encouragement during times ofphysical, emotional, and spiritual anguish.” Nurses are there for people through tough times, but continuously experiencing these difficult situations can lead to compassion fatigue. A workout and tired nurse can only give so much. “Nurses and healthcare organizations must first clearlyand comprehensively understand the concept of compassion fatigue to recognize when they areat risk or experiencing signs and symptoms of compassion fatigue” (Harris, 2015).

WATSON’S THEORY OF CARING AND COMPASSION FATIGUE

Nurses need to not only have self-awareness but also be aware of their co-workers who may be experiencing compassion fatigue. Compassion is awareness and willingness to relieve suffering.“Compassion allows nurses to not only establish a therapeutic relationship with patients but alsoprovide high-quality nursing care” (Youngin, 2016). Watson’s Theory of Caring and Compassion FatigueThe concept of Compassion Fatigue is defined and explained “as empathy or the deep awareness of another’s suffering, coupled with a desire to alleviate it. It is more than just sympathy or pity; it involves wanting to do something to change the state of another” (Harris, 2015). Compassion fatigue is draining emotionally, physically, and spiritually. It drains the energy and desire for love, nurturing, and empathy (Harris, 2015).

WATSON’S THEORY OF CARING AND COMPASSION FATIGUE

When a nurse experience compassion fatigue, they may experience a negative emotion, lack of emotion, overthinking, difficulty sleeping, physical sickness, addiction, and other emotional, physical, and spiritual symptoms that can negatively impact their personal and professional lives (Menella, 2016). A caring person can lose the desire to be compassionate when their compassion causes them exhaustion. Being aware of this concept can help nurses to cope with their compassion fatigue. Watson explained caring as “transpersonal human-to-human attempts to protect, enhance,and preserve humanity and human dignity, integrity and wholeness,” which is done by helping people find meaning while they experience tough times and circumstances in their lives. The support to find meaning can help the patient “gain self-knowledge, self-control, self-caring, and self-healing.” Caring can restore harmony and well-being in our patients. A non-caring environment can be unsafe for our patients because the quality of care goes hand-in-hand with caring.

WATSON’S THEORY OF CARING AND COMPASSION FATIGUE

• NURSING 502 – medical (1537 Documents),
• NURSING C2346 – (865 Documents),
• NURSING C622 – Ophthalmology (212 Documents),
• NURSING 341P – (159 Documents),
• NURSING 310 – 310 (107 Documents),
• NURSING 3165 – (104 Documents),
• NURSING 440 – 440 (84 Documents),
• NURSING 520 – 520 (61 Documents),
• NURSING 3069 – 3069 (41 Documents),
• NURSING 2 – 2 (35 Documents),