Does Compassion Fatigue Affect Nurse Educators in Practice?

Abstract

Compassion fatigue is an unrecognized and understudied phenomenon that occurs in practicing nurses and most likely to affect nurse educators in practice. This unique form of burnout can impede nurse educators in caring for themselves and their students, patients, colleagues, schools and healthcare agencies. It is important to recognize the outcomes and implications of compassion fatigue and the growing need to mentor and care for both current and future nurse educators. Further research studies are needed on compassion fatigue in nurse educators to minimize the impact on educator health and professional nursing care.