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Harris, Chelsia DNP Thesis.pdf (1.52 MB)

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COMPASSION FATIGUE AND DAILY SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE AMONG NURSING ASSISTANTS WORKING IN NURSING CARE FACILITIES

Harris, Chelsia D
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0632-436X
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=casednp1426085078

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Nursing Practice , Case Western Reserve University, School of Nursing.
Providing care for individuals residing in nursing care (NC) facilities can be exhausting. Residents enter NC facilities to either, rehabilitate and return home, or live out the remainder of their lives. Unfortunately, most residents do not return home and eventually, die in NC facilities (Lindner et al., 2007). Nursing assistants are frontline caregivers for these residents, and unfortunately, have little-to-no training in stress, coping, and grief management (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2008). The training provided for nursing assistants may or may not prepare them for the needs expressed by NC facility residents and can perpetuate the development of compassion fatigue (CF). CF is used synonymously with secondary traumatic stress and is defined as the physical, emotional, and spiritual result of chronic self-sacrifice and/or prolonged exposure to difficult situations that renders a person unable to love, nurture, care for, or empathize with another’s suffering. CF can negatively impact the well-being of nursing assistants and diminish their ability to provide optimal care (Abendroth & Flannery, 2006; Alkema, Linton, & Davies, 2008; Bush, 2009; Coetzee & Klopper, 2010; Potter et al., 2010; Stewart, 2009). However, research supports spirituality as a positive influence regarding: health promotion; meaningful work; coping; and grief and stress management (Hurlbut, Robbins, & Hoke, 2011; Kazemipour & Amin, 2012; Kelley & Chan, 2012; Shinbara & Olson, 2010). Nonetheless, there is little research regarding CF and spirituality among nursing assistants working in NC facilities. The purpose of this study was to explore the levels of both CF and daily spiritual experience, and the relationship between the two, among nursing assistants working in NC facilities. Ninety-five participants working in five NC facilities in Arkansas and Missouri completed the questionnaires. Participants ranged in age from 18-to-72 years. The sample was 91.4% female with 74.7% working less than five years in their current position. Results revealed a significantly increased level of CF among the participants as compared to the normalized scores of other helping professionals, as well as a significantly higher level of daily spiritual experience than the benchmark score. There was a small significant negative correlation noted between CF and daily spiritual experience after elimination of incomplete questionnaires. Nursing assistants working in NC facilities experience an increased level of CF. Daily spiritual experience may be a plausible protective mechanism against CF. Further studies including larger sample sizes in geographically-rich regions are necessary in the investigation of these concepts among the target population.
Marilyn Lotas (Committee Chair)
Mary Quinn Griffin (Committee Member)
Janice Williams (Committee Member)
76 p.
Nursing; Spirituality
Compassion; Compassion Fatigue; Spirituality; Daily Spiritual Experience; Nursing Assistant; CNA; Nursing Care Facility; Nursing Home; Long-term Care

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Harris, C. D. (2015). COMPASSION FATIGUE AND DAILY SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE AMONG NURSING ASSISTANTS WORKING IN NURSING CARE FACILITIES [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=casednp1426085078

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Harris, Chelsia. COMPASSION FATIGUE AND DAILY SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE AMONG NURSING ASSISTANTS WORKING IN NURSING CARE FACILITIES. 2015. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=casednp1426085078.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Harris, Chelsia. "COMPASSION FATIGUE AND DAILY SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE AMONG NURSING ASSISTANTS WORKING IN NURSING CARE FACILITIES." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=casednp1426085078

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

casednp1426085078
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This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University Doctor of Nursing Practice and OhioLINK.