The document discusses compassion fatigue, which refers to the mental, emotional, and physical effects on helping professionals of prolonged exposure to suffering. It aims to help employees assess their knowledge of compassion fatigue, identify its signs and symptoms, and understand methods for mitigating its effects. Left unaddressed, compassion fatigue can have disastrous organizational effects on medical systems in the form of chronic absenteeism, resistance to change, and reduced productivity.

1. COMPASSION FATIGUE:
WHAT IT IS & HOW CAN WE
MITIGATE
ITS PRESENCE IN OUR WORK LIVESLEARNING OBJECTIVES:
EMPLOYEES WILL BE ABLE TO~
ASSESS PRIOR WORKING KNOWLEDGE
OF COMPASSION FATIGUE
IDENTIFY COMPASSION FATIGUE, ITS
IMPACT AND WARNING
SIGNS/SYMPTOMS
UNDERSTAND METHODS TO MITIGATE

2. TURN-AND-TALK
Please turn & briefly share with a
neighbor what your best hypothesis is
of what compassion fatigue refers to,
making a mental note of your
partner’s thoughts. (70 seconds)
Whole group: what did you hear? What
is our best working hypothesis as a
group?
Compassion Fatigue: refers to a
secondary traumatic stress disorder
encompassing the mental, emotional,

3. “[COMPASSION FATIGUE] TAKES ITS TOLL ON
EVERYONE FROM FULL TIME EMPLOYEES TO PART TIME
VOLUNTEERS. EVENTUALLY, NEGATIVE ATTITUDES
PREVAIL.” 2
Signs / Symptoms of Compassion

4. Organizational effects
of compassion fatigue
are disastrous, as
medical systems may
experience…
chronic absenteeism
a desire among staff
members to break company
rules and undermine
culture (burnout)
staff who are highly
reluctant toward change,
viewing improvement as
 Work with rather than against your
feelings
 Stay connected to own identity instead
of dissociating &/or identifying with
others’ pain or current state of being
 Develop a positive life attitude,
including use of humor; strengthening
self-confidence; focusing on the positive;
relaxation &/or exercise routines
 Utilize physical & visual reminders,
including grounding feet to the floor,
intentional deep breathing; family photos,
Mitigating Compassion Fatigue & Its Effects

5. IN CONCLUSION… RED-YELLOW-
GREEN
 With the GREEN marker, please write 1 thing you
gained or understood well from today’s
presentation.
 With YELLOW/ORANGE marker, please write 1
thing you’re unsure of or feel somewhat fuzzy
about from today’s presentation (if you can’t
think of anything, don’t use).
 Finally, with a RED marker, please write 1 thing
you feel was way too obtuse (unclear); in other
words, if you still don’t understand what
compassion fatigue is, what its symptoms are,

6. REFERENCES
1. The American Institute of Stress. For Practitioners/Leaders:
Compassion Fatigue.
http://www.stress.org/military/for-practitionersleaders/compassion-
fatigue/. Accessed November 20 2014.
2. Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project. What Is Compassion
Fatigue?
http://www.compassionfatigue.org/pages/compassionfatigue.html.
Accessed November 19 2014.
3. Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project. Recognizing Compassion
Fatigue. http://www.compassionfatigue.org/pages/symptoms.html.
Accessed November 21 2014.
4. Psychology Today. Compassion Fatigue: Bodily Symptoms of
Empathy. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/somatic-