Online journal of issues in nursing
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A review of the literature on the health of nurses leaves little doubt that their work may take a toll on their psychosocial and physical health and well being. Nurses working in several specialty practice areas, such as intensive care, mental health, paediatrics, and oncology have been found to be particularly vulnerable to work-related stress. ⋯ While the emphasis of this article is on compassion fatigue and its theoretical conceptualization, the concepts of burnout and vicarious traumatization are also discussed. Two questions are posed for discussion: 1) Does compassion fatigue exist on a continuum of occupational stress? If so, is burnout a pre-condition for compassion fatigue; 2) What are the relationships between the types of occupational stress? To what extent does non-resolution of compassion fatigue increase the risk for developing vicarious traumatization? Case examples are provided to support this discussion.
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Nurses have a longstanding history of witnessing the tragedy experienced by patients and families; however, their own reactions to profound loss and premature death have not been systematically addressed. There is a paucity of research describing interventions to prevent or minimize the ramifications of repeated exposure to traumatic events in the clinical workplace. Compassion fatigue is a contemporary label affixed to the concept of personal vicarious exposure to trauma on a regular basis. ⋯ In this article, the author begins by describing compassion fatigue and distinguishing compassion fatigue from burnout. Next she discusses risk factors for, and the assessment of compassion fatigue. The need to support nurses who witness tragedy and workplace interventions to confront compassion fatigue are described.
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Collaboration is a substantive idea repeatedly discussed in health care circles. The benefits are well validated. Yet collaboration is seldom practiced. ⋯ Much of the literature on collaboration describes what it should look like as an outcome, but little is written describing how to approach the developmental process of collaboration. In an attempt to remedy the all too familiar riddle of matching ends with means, this article offers key lessons to bridge the discourse on collaboration with the practice of collaboration. These lessons can benefit clinical nurse managers and all nurses who operate in an organizational setting that requires complex problem solving.
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Pain in the absence of disease is not a normal part of aging, yet it is experienced daily by a majority of older adults in the United States. Older adults are at high risk for undertreatment of pain due to a variety of barriers. These include lack of adequate education of health care professionals, cost concerns and other obstacles related to the health care system, and patient related barriers, such as reluctance to report pain or take analgesics. ⋯ Pharmacologic therapies include non-opioids, opioids, and adjuvant analgesics. Nonpharmacologic techniques include cognitive-behavioral strategies, such as distraction, guided imagery, education, and prayer, and physical measures, including heat, massage, bracing, and assistive devices. Health care professionals must be cognizant of the special pain-related needs of this fastest growing segment of the population.
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Approximately 1.3 million people in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer in 2003 and millions of other individuals are already living with the disease. Fatigue continues to be the most prevalent and disruptive symptom of cancer and its treatment regimens. ⋯ High levels of fatigue decrease quality of life, physical functional status, and symptom management. This article presents an evidenced-base review of cancer-related fatigue, strategies for the management of cancer-related fatigue, and recommendations for clinical practice.