Compassion fatigue in medical students and junior doctors: a scoping review

Research output: Chapter in Book / Conference PaperConference Paper

Abstract

Introduction/Background
Compassion fatigue (CF) occurs when helping professionals are exposed to trauma at work and lose their desire to relieve the suffering of others. While CF has been documented among nurses, nursing students and other helping professionals, its recognition among medical students and junior doctors is relatively recent. The objective of this review is to identify the extent and type of evidence on CF in medical trainees, key associated factors, and knowledge gaps.

Methods
Our inclusion criteria for CF included burnout, secondary traumatic stress or associated terms. Medical trainee criteria included those studying medicine at university, and junior doctors in training, and excluded senior registrars or equivalent. This scoping review adhered to PRISMA-ScR guidance. Electronic databases were searched, and research data extracted. A narrative summary of results is presented.

Results/Evaluation
Fourteen papers published between 1992 - 2023 met the inclusion criteria. The nature of research included prevalence, intervention, student personal experience, and the impact of CF.

Factors associated with CF, included workload, night shift, insufficient sleep, not taking a holiday, an expectation to be unemotional, and having a medicolegal complaint made. Secondary Traumatic Stress, a critical component of CF was associated with working in critical care, working with traumatised patients, or with patients who self-harm or suicide and working with their families. (1)

Future research is required to quantify CF prevalence in medical trainees and evaluate the efficacy of the interventions identified in our review. These interventions focused on institutional policy and management-based responses, and included ensuring adequate staffing levels, facilitating leave, screening for CF and suicide risk, promoting wellbeing, physical health, and early confidential intervention.

Discussion
CF is associated with depression in medical trainees and negatively impacts the individual and patient care. (2) As the identified interventions require institutional and managerial responses; what is the current priority of educators/academics in combatting CF in our trainee cohorts?

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAustralian and New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators Conference (ANZAHPE 2024): Cultivating Innovation, Abstract Book, 1-4 July 2024, Adelaide, South Australia
PublisherAustralian and New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators
ISBN (Print)9780648828549
Publication statusPublished - 2024
EventAustralian and New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators. Conference - Adelaide, Australia
Duration: 1 Jul 20244 Jul 2024

Conference

ConferenceAustralian and New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators. Conference
Abbreviated titleANZAHPE
Country/TerritoryAustralia
CityAdelaide
Period1/07/244/07/24

Keywords

  • compassion fatigue, medical students, junior doctors, secondary traumatic stress, burnout

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Compassion fatigue in medical students and junior doctors: a scoping review'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this