COVID-19 Impact on Compassion Fatigue and Career Decisions among Registered Nurses

Background: Nurses have faced significant challenges related to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and patient care. Compassion fatigue is of particular concern for registered nurses (RNs) as they are frequently exposed to tragedy in the workplace and are unable to remove themselves from their source of distress. Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on working newly licensed RNs, specifically focusing on compassion fatigue and career decisions. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional design used a convenience sample of newly licensed RNs and graduate student nurses. Results: Participants largely scored within moderate range under each ProQOL-5 subscale: compassion satisfaction (M = 34.4; SD = 8.4), burnout (M = 27.6; SD = 6.8), and secondary traumatic stress (M = 27.4; SD = 7.5). There was a statistically significant association between secondary traumatic stress and career decision (p = 0.006), such that participants with higher levels of secondary trauma more frequently indicated that they are considering or making active plans to resign or retire from the nursing profession. Conclusion: This study underscores the impact of COVID-19 on RNs’ personal and professional lives. RNs were facing additional workplace stressors such as exposure to COVID-19 without correct protective equipment, under-staffing, and high patient ratios. RNs may be vulnerable to secondary traumatic stress, which influences intentions to leave the profession in our study. Implications: Occupational health nurses should monitor and advocate for compassion fatigue prevention, safe patient ratios, and safe staffing to support and retain nurses in the workplace.