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Understanding Burnout, Compassion Fatigue, Moral Injury, and Stress

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Experiencing burnout, compassion fatigue, and stress are all common and normal experiences for providers. Over time these experiences can wear us down and make it harder to do our jobs effectively. We are not weak because we have these experiences. In fact, it can be unhealthy and unrealistic to have an expectation to always be productive and heal every person we work with. Research shows that when we do not take care of ourselves, it becomes more difficult to take care of those people we want to help. Often, the first step to feeling better is understanding what is going on. Below are explanations of these common experiences:

 

Burnout or Compassion Fatigue: “The Cost of Caring for Others” 1

• Profound physical, emotional, and physical depletion that takes place when helpers are unable to refuel and regenerate.

• Caused by the nature of the work, workplace stressors, workload, and factors outside one’s control.

• Results in increased mental distance from one’s job, negativism or cynicism and reduced professional efficacy.

• Further, compassion fatigue occurs when we take on the emotional burden of a patient's agony.
   

Moral Injury: An Injury to Core Values 2

• Often occurs when people are unable to provide maximal care for individual patients due to limitations that are outside of their control.

• Can include witnessing or learning about these circumstances.

• Signs include guilt, shame, outrage, distrust, and isolation.

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Vicarious/Secondary Traumatic Stress: Experiencing Others Trauma as Our Own 3

• As providers and volunteers, we often define ourselves by the people we serve and take on their stories of trauma. Hearing about another person’s trauma can make you feel as if you are experiencing the trauma yourself.

• It is common to even have PTSD type physiological (e.g., headaches, stomach problems, or sleep disruptions), cognitive, and emotional symptoms in response to exposure to another’s trauma.

• This experience can have a sudden onset and is especially exacerbated when you have had similar experiences related to the trauma of the individuals you are servings
   

The fatigue and secondary trauma or stress symptoms you may be experiencing are actually intended to help us survive through difficult times similar to how the migrants we serve have adapted to survive the trauma they have persevered through. However, these experiences are not permanent and can resolve with time, talking with someone for support, and simple quick practices that help us live more balanced lives to be able to better take care of others (e.g.,  reminding ourselves: “I've done the best I can for what I could control and do based on the information and time I had today. I am proud of myself for getting through today”). Additionally, we can derive peace and strength through the resilience stories of the migrants we work with since their inspiring stories remind us how valuable and impactful our work has been for many. Now that you know the importance of self-care, the next step is to try one of the links highlighted in this paragraph or try some other resources under cellular applications, audio/video, CodeGreen’s website, or this great simple tip sheet.

 

References

1 Based on Excerpts from the Compassion Fatigue Workbook by Francoise Mathieu

2 https://www.aaem.org/UserFiles/file/COVID-19CrisisModeBuildingResilienceHCWs2020-04-30.pdf

3 Pearlman and Saakvitne – 1995