Determination of Compassion Fatigue Level and Institutional Expectations of Health Personnel Involved in Search and Rescue Operations.Compassion Fatigue in Healthcare Personnel

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the compassion fatigue status of healthcare personnel who participated in search and rescue operations in disaster areas, which is a highly traumatizing environment. For this purpose, 12 health personnel who took part in a major disaster in the last year were interviewed. Methods: Maxqda 24 program was used in the analysis of the interviews. Four themes were identified within the scope of the analyzes. These themes are the effects of the disaster, factors affecting compassion fatigue, methods of coping with compassion fatigue and institutional expectations for reducing compassion fatigue. Results: As a result of the research, compassion fatigue of the participants was found to be at a moderate level. It was determined that disasters affect health personnel participating in search and rescue activities physiologically, psychologically, emotionally, professionally and socially. Although many factors that increase compassion fatigue were identified, it was concluded that there are also factors that have a decreasing effect. It was understood that the most frequently mentioned factor by the participants to cope with compassion fatigue was to engage in social activities. Conclusions: Participants' compassion fatigue was not found to be as high as expected. It was observed that the participants had elements that decreased compassion fatigue as well as elements that increased it. It was acknowledged that this situation may have created a balance.