Speakers - WNSC 2023

Abstract

According to the American Nurses Association, 81% of nurses reported feeling exhausted, and 71% reported feeling overwhelmed in 2021. Working long shifts and addressing complex patient needs can cause emotional distress in nurses. According to the literature, nurses are reporting feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. Over time, these feelings can lead to compassion fatigue, defined as a condition in which the cumulative burden and stress of nursing practice cause individuals to lose their ability to nurture and empathize with their patients. The COVID-19 pandemic has helped create a perfect storm for compassion fatigue. Fatigue, in general, can affect an individual’s mental and physical functions. In healthcare settings, fatigue can impair decision-making and slow responses to patients’ needs, thereby compromising care. Left unaddressed, it can impact an individual’s mental health and lead to post- traumatic stress disorder.