Effectiveness of a Compassion Fatigue Reduction Workshop in Reducing Compassion Fatigue at Mount Sinai Hospital

Healthcare professionals treating trauma patients can vicariously experience trauma from long term exposure to suffering, resulting in compassion fatigue. The impact of compassion fatigue on the psychological well-being of healthcare workers is detrimental, decreasing patient care and retention of healthcare providers. In an effort to reduce compassion fatigue, Mount Sinai Hospital has implemented a 4-hour workshop for employees to increase professional’s knowledge of compassion fatigue and improve worker’s skills for dealing with stress in the workplace. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the program was effective in imparting the knowledge and skills to deal with stress in the workplace and reducing compassion fatigue of employees attending the workshop. The pre-posttest and one month follow up data will be analyzed by the intern. Based on the results and a literature review of compassion fatigue and related interventions, the intern will make recommendations to inform future implementation of the workshop. This study will have an impact on improving the quality of patient care within the hospital and improving the mental health of healthcare professionals.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Kelly McShane

Student:

Elizabeth Wong

Partner:

Mount Sinai Hospital

Discipline:

Psychology

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

Ryerson University