Synthesis and Implications for Practice, Research Paper Example

The phenomenon of compassion fatigue requires a research-based protocol that impacts the ability of trauma nurses to practice under stressful conditions where they must work with patients in critical care situations. In this environment, there must be a greater focus on the limitations experienced by trauma nurses and what is required to overcome these challenges as they work in these settings. Therefore, a quasi-experimental approach is desirable to ensure that both qualitative and quantitative markers are identified that will have an impact on the questions surrounding trauma nurses in this setting.

A literature review by Boyle (2011) addresses the significance of compassion fatigue and its impact on nurses and their behavior in the trauma setting. This article considers the importance of areas such as work/life balance and burnout in an effort to better understand how compassion fatigue often requires additional support and guidance to positively impact this workforce and its needs in order to be more productive and engaging with their patients at all times (Boyle, 2011).

An article by Hinderer et.al (2014) utilizes a cross-sectional descriptive design in order to demonstrate the importance of burnout and compassion fatigue as key contributors to secondary traumatic stress in trauma nurses. A study involving 128 participants from an urban trauma center demonstrated that there is a critical need to better understand this impact on relationships with colleagues and the level of support that is achieved and how it correlates to levels of satisfaction within the workplace environment (Hinderer et.al, 2014). In spite of its advantages, this was not the most useful study for consideration due its relatively small sample size and the use of personal characteristics in evaluating the study population, as well as the self-reporting data that was utilized.

A study by Mason et.al (2014) addresses the importance of compassion fatigue, moral distress, and work engagement, using a nonexperimental, descriptive, correlational design. The study population included 26 surgical intensive care nurses at an academic medical center in an urban area and addressed the importance of moral distress and compassion fatigue among this population group (Mason et.al, 2014). The study indicates that moral distress is very serious for trauma nurses working in intensive care units and that this coincides with low levels of work engagement (Mason et.al, 2014).

An article by Mathieu (2014) addresses the importance of occupational hazards in the form of compassion fatigue, burnout, and vicarious trauma for nurses, using a discussion: ask the expert format. This was not a formal research study and did not utilize a specific sample population; nonetheless, the article supports the belief that vicarious trauma, burnout, and compassion fatigue must be better evaluated in the context of stress management in order to provide nurses with the best possible opportunities to address their situations with greater ease and attention to the issues at hand (Mathieu, 2014).

Finally, a study by Wilkinson (2014) represents a means of addressing coping skills and stress in the trauma environment, using a systematic literature review format. This article is relevant because it captures an understanding of the dynamics of trauma nursing and how stress impacts the delivery of care and treatment to patients, while also considering how to improve coping skills for nurses as they struggle with these events (Wilkinson, 2014).  It is important to address areas such as work demands, patient aggression, violence, lack of support from the management team, exposure to traumatic events, and other issues when considering this population and their specific needs, and it is evident that nurses require significant support in these areas in order to prevent burnout as much as possible (Wilkinson, 2014).

References

Boyle, D. A. (2011). Countering compassion fatigue: a requisite nursing agenda. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 16(1), 2. doi: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol16No01Man02

Hinderer, K. A., VonRueden, K. T., Friedmann, E., McQuillan, K. A., Gilmore, R., Kramer, B., & Murray, M. (2014). Burnout, compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and secondary traumatic stress in trauma nurses. Journal of Trauma Nursing, 21(4), 160-169. doi: 10.1097/jtn.0000000000000055

Mason, V. M., Leslie, G., Clark, K. Lyons, P., Walke, E., Butler, C., Griffin, M. (2014). Compassion fatigue, moral distress, and work engagement in surgical intensive care unit trauma nurses: a pilot study. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 33(4), 215-225 doi: 10.1097/dcc.0000000000000056

Mathieu, F. (2014). Occupational hazards: compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma and burnout. The Canadian Nurse, 110(5), 12-13.

Wilkinson, S. (2014). How nurses can cope with stress and avoid burnout. Emergency Nursing, 22(7), 27-31. doi: 10.7748/en.22.7.27.e1354