title: Occupational stress amongst audiologists: compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate occupational stress amongst audiologists, along with quantification of their professional quality of life: Burnout, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional postal survey research design using an audiology occupational stress questionnaire (AOSQ), and the professional quality of life (ProQOL) instrument.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of members of the New Zealand Audiological Society. One hundred and forty-five questionnaires were mailed, 82 responses were received.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main findings suggest that six stress factors dominate clinical audiology: (1) time demand, (2) audiological management, (3) patient contact, (4) clinical protocol, (5) patient accountability, and (6) administration or equipment. A significant relationship was found between increasing age of the audiologist and risk of acquiring burnout (chi-square (1)=6.119, p<0.05). Pearson's correlation's revealed time demand was the strongest predictor of low compassion satisfaction (r=0.327) and burnout (r=0.463), while stress associated with patient contact was the strongest predictor of compassion fatigue (r=0.352).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study identifies sources of stress for clinical audiologists and different factors that contribute to professional quality of life.
authors: Section of Audiology, The Goodfellow Unit of the Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, School of Population Health, The University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors: Michael S
authors: MS
authors: Severn
authors: Grant D
authors: GD
authors: Searchfield
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Huggard
mesh_terms: D001298:Audiology; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004645:Empathy; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D016015:Logistic Models; D005222:Mental Fatigue / Q000209:etiology*; D009520:New Zealand; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016272:Occupational Health; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011788:Quality of Life; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012941:Social Responsibility; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors