Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Dr. Marilyn Losty

Abstract

Nurse Practitioners (NPs) across Canada continue to endure the escalating demands of increasing patient workloads, the deficiency of inadequate resources, and the paucity of leadership support. The ongoing exposure to these and other challenges often contributes to a complex work environment that may result in compassion fatigue (CF). CF can be operationally defined as a state of exhaustion and dysfunction because of prolonged exposure to compassion stress and all that it evokes. The need for education and prevention of CF is critical as the prevalence of CF is on the rise. Guided by Watson’s Theory of Human Caring and Benner’s Theory of Novice to Expert, this project was conducted to determine if an educational intervention would increase the NPs knowledge and awareness on the signs and symptoms of CF and healthy coping strategies. NPs were recruited from a convenience sample of NPs belonging to a single acute care organization for this doctoral project and 35 NPs volunteered to participate in the educational intervention. Following a pretest survey, participants reviewed a PowerPoint presentation on educating NPs on the factors associated with CF and completed a posttest survey. A paired t-test indicated an increase in knowledge and awareness among NPs who participated in the educational intervention (t = -14.71, p < 0.001) indicating an increase in knowledge and (t = -50.61, p < 0.001) indicating an increase in awareness in CF. This project contributes to social change as it provides NPs with strategies to reduce and prevent CF clinically. Nurses who are equipped and understand strategies necessary to decrease work-related stress and CF tend to be more successful and can provide safe, competent patient care.

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