Much of the current literature using surrounding compassion fatigue involves the analysis of self-reported survey data collected on tools such as the ProQOL. Such studies assess the signs and symptoms associated with compassion fatigue, but not what leads to the symptoms and/or when those symptoms begin. The purpose of this study is to explore how nursing students and faculty experienced compassion and compassion fatigue during their pre-licensure nursing education.
Methods: This IRB approved Q methodology study will use a purposive of participants recruited from one nursing program in the eastern United States. There will be approximately 40 participants that will include entry-level, mid-level, end-level nursing students, and nursing faculty. The Q sample will include 40 opinion statements about perceived compassion behaviors of faculty, students, and self. Participants will rank order their level of agreement and disagreement on a -5 to +5 sorting sheet. Using Ken Q Analysis software, the Q sorts will undergo by-person factor analysis to find groups with shared viewpoints. Normalized Z scores will be calculated to show how much the participants loading on a factor agreed or disagreed with each of the 40 statements.
Results: Data will be displayed as a factor arrays for each of discovered viewpoints. A narrative discussion will address levels of consensus and differences among the viewpoints.
Conclusion: Understanding nursing student and faculty perceptions of the subject may help increase our understanding if the dawn of compassion fatigue lies within nursing education. This information in turn lead to the implementation of targeted intervention strategies to prevent compassion fatigue.