Family caregivers' compassion fatigue in long-term facilities.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to explore the presence of compassion fatigue in family carers who assist staff with care of older relatives in long-term settings.


METHODS
Narrative data were collected through observation and conversations with five purposively selected family carers.


RESULTS
Thematic and poetic analysis suggest that family carers exhibit symptoms associated in the literature with compassion fatigue in nurses and other healthcare professionals. Two major themes emerged: role engulfment and enveloping sadness.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses working in long-term care settings should educate family carers about compassion fatigue, recognise its presence in them and provide support to family carers experiencing the condition.
Perry
Beth
B
Faculty of Health Disciplines, Athabasca University, Canada.
Dalton
Janice E
JE
Edwards
Margaret
M
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002170:Canada; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D004645:Empathy; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D033262:Narration; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012380:Role; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*