Managing Compassion Fatigue in Health Professionals

The expectation that we can be immersed in suffering and loss daily and not be touched by it is as unrealistic as expecting to be able to walk through water without getting wet. (Remen, 2006)

This course will help you identify causes, triggers, and signs of compassion fatigue in healthcare professionals and front-line workers, and provide you with evidence based strategies to manage and overcome it.

Designed For

This course is especially designed for medical, nursing, and allied health professionals. That includes professionals working in ICU, Emergency Department, Acute Medial Wards, Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology and Social Work.

Learning Outcomes

1. Explain common symptoms and clinical implications of compassion fatigue
2. Identify causes and factors that contribute to compassion fatigue and health professionals at risk of developing it.
3. Undertake a brief compassion fatigue self-assessment to asses one's own level of compassion fatigue.
4. Examine cognitive behavioural based strategies to reduce the negative effects of compassion fatigue
5. Design a self-directed compassion fatigue management plan

Course Structure

1. What is compassion fatigue?
2. Cognitive, physical and behavioural symptoms of compassion fatigue
3. Causes of compassion fatigue
4. Psychological models of compassion fatigue
5. Who is at risk of developing compassion fatigue?
6. Compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma and burnout: what’s the difference?
7. Measuring compassion fatigue
8. Clinical implications of compassion fatigue
9. Prevention and management of compassion fatigue

Assessment

This reflective course has no final exam. You will be asked to complete small quizzes, multiple-choice questions and reflective questions in each learning component. You will also be asked to work through 12 case studies answering questions related to these. Upon completion of the course and feedback form, a completion certificate will be generated.

Delivery Mode

Course completion requires approximately 12 hours of eLearning. This course is delivered online and students can study in their own time and location. Course materials can be accessed using a web browser.

Course Leaders

Dr Litza Kiropoulos

Senior Lecturer - Clinical Psychology

Director, University of Melbourne Psychology Clinic

Head, Mood and Anxiety Disorders Lab

Dr Kiropoulos is a Senior Lecturer in the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences. She is also currently the Director of the University of Melbourne Psychology Clinic. In addition to these roles she has worked as a Senior Clinical Psychologist in various acute, subacute and outpatient public mental health settings for over 20 years. Her research, teaching and clinical interests include mood and anxiety disorders and clinical psychology in medical settings.