Compassion Fatigue and What First Responder Organizations Can Do

Continual exposure to acute and long-term stress can create a variety of health issues. Some, like compassion fatigue, are less well-known but no less harmful to the people involved.

Though often associated with hospitals and emergency rooms, compassion fatigue is an issue for emergency services professionals as well, since they face pressures similar to those faced by doctors and nurses.

So, what does compassion fatigue look like?

The symptoms of compassion fatigue, according to WebMD, include:

• Mental symptoms: Depression, anxiety, depersonalization, and a lack of joy from daily activities
• Physical symptoms: Fatigue, sleep disturbances, and changes in appetite
• Professional symptoms: Impaired decision-making, absenteeism, and workplace conflict

And 911 dispatchers appear to be especially affected by compassion fatigue and its effects.

Studies have found that a notable percentage of dispatchers report compassion fatigue as a side effect of their professional responsibilities.

Tips for Responder Organizations Struggling with Compassion Fatigue

While there is no single answer to compassion fatigue, these strategies can help organizations provide better help to their people, many of whom may be struggling without even knowing it.

Don’t forget the power of positive recognition.

We all take pride in our work, and we all like to be recognized for a job well done. As simple as it sounds, taking steps to congratulate and appreciate your personnel can have a pronounced effect on overall morale.

Recognizing your people consistently, transparently, and earnestly can combat the feelings of being stressed and unappreciated that tend to cause compassion fatigue.

Head off traumatic work-related incidents.

You might consider this easier said than done, but collecting, evaluating, and acting upon situations that may create compassion fatigue is easier today than it’s ever been.

For example, early intervention systems are one tool that can be used to track the traumatic events known to contribute to compassion fatigue.

It is clearly unrealistic to keep dispatchers and others from experiencing traumatic workplace situations. But public safety organizations can improve in tracking and addressing exposures to both physical hazards and emotionally traumatic incidents before compassion fatigue sets in.

As we’ve seen in toxic materials exposure tracking, the simple act of keeping tabs on what your frontline personnel encounter can also keep the larger idea of preserving health—mental or otherwise—top of mind.

Talk about it.

Educate your people on the realities of compassion fatigue.

As with some other mental health issues, employees may not even know they’re struggling, and others may not fully recognize the extent of their symptoms.

Acknowledge and support staff through traumatic calls and other workplace incidents.

Instead of allowing employees to deal with these issues themselves, give them a space to discuss what they’re going through.

• Utilize employee assistance programs (EAPs) to target compassion fatigue. For example, employees at the University of Texas are offered scheduled talks, and managers are given advice on how to help combat it.
• A routine, employees-only support group led by a therapist can give your people space to talk openly.

Promote self-care.

Self-care is more than a buzzword—it’s an important part of maintaining work-life balance.

It’s also vital to counteracting compassion fatigue, burnout, and related stress.

This might mean:

• Cutting back on mandatory overtime hours
• Offering in-house massages, counseling, or other perks
• Identifying and addressing self-destructive behaviors
• Adapting to your team’s specific needs

Start with known morale deficiencies in your workplace and work from there.

Conclusion

Compassion fatigue is a serious issue that can impair employee lives and performance.

Organizations that take time to address the problem now are those most likely to successfully mitigate its worst effects.

Want to effectively track events that can lead to compassion fatigue?
Learn how Vector Solutions helps agencies monitor, analyze, and respond to critical incidents. https://www.vectorsolutions.com/request-a-demo/ecc/