Compassion and Compassion Fatigue of Hemodialysis Nurses: Basis for an Action Plan

Ronalyn Melo; Rose Marie Go; Bea Andrea Moraleja; Stephanie Ingrid Salonga; Girlie Mannphy Lacambra; Marc Lester Quintana

doi:10.69569/jip.2025.769

Authors

Ronalyn M. Melo Canossa College San Pablo City, Inc., Laguna, Philippines
Rose Marie O. Go Canossa College San Pablo City, Inc., Laguna, Philippines
Bea Andrea A. Moraleja Canossa College San Pablo City, Inc., Laguna, Philippines
Stephanie Ingrid Salonga Canossa College San Pablo City, Inc., Laguna, Philippines
Girlie Mannphy A. Lacambra Canossa College San Pablo City, Inc., Laguna, Philippines
Marc Lester F. Quintana City College of Calamba, Laguna, Philippines

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.69569/jip.2025.769

Keywords:

Compassion, Compassion fatigue, Hemodialysis nursing, Nurses

Abstract

Compassion is essential in nursing practice, particularly in high demand settings such as hemodialysis units, where prolonged patient interaction may predispose nurses to compassion fatigue. This study aimed to determine the levels of compassion and compassion fatigue and examine their relationship with selected demographic variables among hemodialysis nurses in the Third District of Laguna. A descriptive correlational design was employed involving 65 hemodialysis nurses. Data were collected using adopted and standardized questionnaires, including a 16-item compassion scale and a 30-item compassion fatigue scale. The instruments were validated by four experts using an authorized validation tool and pilot-tested prior to data collection. Data were analyzed using frequency and percentage distribution, median, Spearman’s rho, and chi-square tests. Results showed that a majority of respondents reported low (68%) or moderate (32%) levels of burnout. In terms of secondary traumatic stress, 40% of the nurses experienced low levels, while 60% reported moderate levels, indicating a notable presence of compassion fatigue among the respondents. Compassion satisfaction was significantly associated with selected demographic factors, including age, years of service, and marital status, with older, more experienced nurses reporting higher levels of satisfaction. However, no statistically significant relationships were found between demographic variables and overall compassion levels. These findings suggest that compassion fatigue among hemodialysis nurses is influenced more by work-related demands and professional exposure than by demographic characteristics alone. The study highlights the need for targeted interventions that promote nurses’ well-being, support emotional resilience, and help sustain compassion to ensure the continued delivery of high-quality patient care.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Aslan, H., Erci, B., & Pekince, H. (2022). Relationship between compassion fatigue in nurses and work-related stress and the meaning of life. Journal of Religion and Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-020-01142-0

Cao, X., & Chen, L. (2021). The impact of resilience on turnover intention in dialysis nurses: The mediating effects of work engagement and compassion fatigue. Japan Journal of Nursing Science, 18(3), e12414. https://doi.org/10.1111/jjns.12414

Clayton-Hathway, K., Humbert, A.L., Griffiths, H., McIlroy, R., & Schutz, S. (2020). Gender and nursing as a profession: Valuing nurses and paying them their worth. Royal College of Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-2018.2010.00526.x

Crabtree-Nelson, S., DeYoung, P., Vincent, N., Myers, T., & Czerwinskyj, J. (2022). Compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burnout: A study of nurses in a large Texas health-care system. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 54(6), 720–727. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12780

De Zulueta, P.C. (2016). Compassion in healthcare: A missing link in quality improvement. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 109(5), 180–185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2014.04.003

Duarte, J., & Pinto-Gouveia, J. (2017a). Empathy and feelings of guilt experienced by nurses: A cross-sectional study of their role in burnout and compassion fatigue symptoms. Applied Nursing Research, 35, 42–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnr.2017.02.006

Duarte, J., & Pinto-Gouveia, J. (2017b). The role of psychological factors in oncology nurses' burnout and compassion fatigue symptoms. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 28, 114–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejon.2017.04.002

Gilbert, P., Catarino, F., Duarte, C., Matos, M., Kolts, R., Stubbs, J., Ceresatto, L., Duarte, J., Pinto-Gouveia, J., & Basran, J. (2017). The development of compassionate engagement and action scales for self and others. Journal of Compassionate Health Care, 4(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40639-017-0033-3

Hunsaker, S., Chen, H.-C., Maughan, D., & Heaston, S. (2015). Factors that influence the development of compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction in emergency department nurses. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 47(2), 186–194. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12122

Jinpa, T. (2015). A fearless heart: How the courage to be compassionate can transform our lives. Avery / Penguin Random House.

Kabunga, A., Kigongo, E., Udho, S., Auma, A.G., Tumwesigye, R., Musinguzi, M., & Anyolitho, M.K. (2025). Compassion fatigue and coping strategies among healthcare providers in Central Uganda: A facility-based cross-sectional study. BMJ Open, 15(8), e102203. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2025-102203

Malenfant, S., Jaggi, P., Hayden, K.A., & Sinclair, S. (2022). Compassion in healthcare: An updated scoping review of the literature. BMC Palliative Care, 21(1), 80. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-022-00942-3

Mao, A., Cheong, P.L., Van, I.K., & Tam, H.L. (2021). “I am called girl, but that doesn’t matter”: Perspectives of male nurses regarding gender-related advantages and disadvantages in professional development. BMC Nursing, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00539-w

Nikpey, S., Ghafourifard, M., & Ghahramanian, A. (2023). The association of compassionate care and coping with disease among patients undergoing hemodialysis. Renal Replacement Therapy, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41100-023-00499-8

Özan, A., & Polat, H. (2024). Determination of compassion and compassion fatigue in intensive care nurses. SAGE Open Nursing, 10. https://doi.org/10.1177/23779608241247395

Sahin, S., Duzgun, A.A., Unsal, A., Kirmizigul, E.I., & Ozdemir, A. (2023). Assessment of compassion fatigue and empathy levels in nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak: Turkey’s case. Journal of Religion and Health, 62(2), 1343–1357. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01749-z

Sinclair, S., Kondejewski, J., Jaggi, P., Roze des Ordons, A., Kassam, A., Hayden, K.A., Harris, D., & Hack, T. (2021). What works for whom in compassion training programs offered to practicing healthcare providers: A realist review. BMC Medical Education, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02863-w

Spurlock, D., Jr. (2020). The nursing shortage and the future of nursing education is in our hands. Journal of Nursing Education, 59(6), 303–304. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20200520-01

Su, J.J., Masika, G.M., Paguio, J.T., & Redding, S.R. (2020). Defining compassionate nursing care. Nursing Ethics, 27(2), 480–493. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733019851546

Trzeciak, S., Roberts, B., & Mazzarelli, A. (2017). Compassionomics: Hypothesis and experimental approach. Medical Hypotheses, 107, 92–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2017.08.015

Wang, Y.-Y., Xiong, Y., Zhang, Y., Li, C.-Y., Fu, L.-L., Luo, H.-L., & Sun, Y. (2022). Compassion fatigue among haemodialysis nurses in public and private hospitals in China. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 28(1), e13011. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.13011

Wasson, R., Barratt, C., & O’Brien, W. (2020). Effects of mindfulness-based interventions on self-compassion in health care professionals: A meta-analysis. Mindfulness. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01342-5