Compassion Fatigue Amongst Resident Doctors of a Medical College

Abstract

Background: The healthcare sector demands tireless commitment and resident doctors go through intensive clinical training with long working hours and emotionally charged patient interactions. This might lead to emotional exhaustion, reduced empathy, and a sense of diminished personal accomplishment, all of which is a part of the complex psychological condition of compassion fatigue, which can profoundly impact the well-being of healthcare professionals. Compassion fatigue is a term given to the secondary stress suffered by those in helping professions who are working with those suffering from trauma.
Objectives: (1) To assess the prevalence of compassion fatigue in resident doctors. (2) To find out the association between compassion fatigue and work-related factors among resident doctors.
Methods: The present cross-sectional study was done among the doctors in the Tertiary Care Centre of district Meerut. Data was collected from 200 residents of different departments and medical specialities using a questionnaire consisting of professional quality of life scale along with information regarding sociodemographic and work-related factors.
Result: A higher level of compassion satisfaction was seen in those who had more years of practice. Residents with excessive number of work hours and predominantly overnight shifts appear to be at higher risk of developing compassion fatigue related to higher burnout and secondary traumatic stress.
Conclusion: The assessment of compassion fatigue among resident doctors highlights the impact of working conditions on their well-being. Addressing factors like long working hours, high patient loads, and lack of support from administration will help reduce compassion fatigue among the resident doctors.