“Compassion Fatigue” is a Misnomer: How Compassion Can Increase Quality of Life

Abstract

Health-care workers are at risk of experiencing negative consequences for their own health and job performance due to a wide variety of stressors. Care providers suffer from varying expressions of a generalized symptom set that has been termed “burnout” or “compassion fatigue.” These terms can help us understand the phenomenon that is happening in our health system, but a strong understanding of the physical, mental, emotional, and psychological implications will increase the efficacy of treatment and benefit of preventive care. This article asserts that the term “compassion fatigue” is a misnomer, resulting in a misunderstanding of the causes and effects of compassion on the individual. This article challenges the term, positing that it has become outdated based on what we now know about the neuroscience of compassion, empathy, and mindfulness. Instead, this discussion offers the relevance of the term “empathic distress leading to empathic distress fatigue,” suggesting that contemplative practice, mindfulness, and compassion training can protect and empower health-care providers.