ABSTRACT
Compassion fatigue (CF) is a contemporary label for a phenomenon that still lacks consensus among scientists. The term 'compassion fatigue' was first used by Joinson in the context of a nurses' burnout study. Compassion fatigue needs to be addressed in its earliest phases to avoid permanent 'disability'. Becoming aware, and understanding the significance of CF is crucial in empowering health professionals, as well as healthcare organizations, to take measures towards self-care promotion, patient outcome improvement, and therapeutic relationship strengthening. This chapter begins by defining CF, distinguishing it from other occupational stress entities, outlining risk factors and symptoms, and introducing the main theoretical models for its study. Second, significance and implications of CF are discussed at a personal, professional and organizational level. Third, approaches and measures to prevent and counteract CF are presented. The chapter examines two practical appendixes with suggested resources for preventing and counteracting CF as well as screening and diagnostic tools.
