The experiences of and responses to compassion fatigue amongst social workers employed in government hospitals

Abstract

Social workers working in government hospitals are tasked to render social work support services to patients and their families within a multidisciplinary team approach, however, there is a lack of research evidence about these social workers’ experiences of, and responses to, compassion fatigue. Alongside this qualitative study, the researcher wanted to explore and describe these government hospital social workers’ experiences and responses to compassion fatigue. Exploratory, descriptive, and contextual research strategies were applied against a phenomenological research design background. A sample of government hospital social workers in Gauteng was selected using the purposive sampling technique. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews with questions contained in an interview guide. The data was analysed using the eight steps of Tesch (in Creswell, 2014), and Lincoln and Guba’s evaluative criteria (Lincoln & Guba, 1985) were applied for data verification. Ethical considerations such as informed consent, confidentiality, anonymity, privacy, beneficence and management of information were adhered to throughout the research process. The contribution that this study makes includes bridging the gap caused by the scarcity of literature on the experiences of social workers with regard to compassion fatigue and how they deal with it. The results of this study will encourage hospital social workers to recognise compassion fatigue and have measures in place to deal with it so that they can better their lives. The awareness created by the findings of this study will also boost the service delivery offered to patients because social workers who can recognise and deal with compassion fatigue will be able to provide a better quality service. Finally; the study will guide managers and supervisors to recognise compassion fatigue and the importance of supporting social workers in dealing with compassion fatigue.

Badirelaleago bao ba šomago maokelong a mmušo ba filwe mošomo wa go aba ditirelo tša thekgo ya mošomo wa tša leago go balwetši le malapa a bona, ka dihlopha tša ditsebi tša mafapha a leago a go fapana. Le ge go le bjalo, go na le tlhaelo ya dinyakišišo mabapi le maitemogelo le ditlamorago tša go lapa kudu mmeleng le monaganong ga badirelaleago. Ka go šomiša mokgwa wa nyakišišo wa khwalithethifi, monyakišiši o laeditše le go hlaloša maitemogelo le ditlamorago tša go lapa kudu ga badirelaleago ba maokelo a mmušo. Datha ya nyakišišo ye e fihleletšwe ka mokgwa wa dipoledišano, ditlhokomedišišo le tshekatsheko. Badirelaleago ba go šoma maokelong a mmušo ka Gauteng ba kgethilwe ka go šomiša thekniki ya go sampola gomme datha ya kgoboketšwa ka mokgwa wa dipoledišano tša go se rulaganywe ka dipotšišo tšeo di lego ka gare ga tokomane ya go tlhahla dipoledišano. Datha e sekasekilwe ka go šomiša dikgato tše seswai tša motlolo wa Tesch (Creswell 2014), gomme mmotlolo wa Guba (Krefting 1990) wa šomišwa go netefatša datha. Maitshwaro a go dira nyakišišo bjalo ka go hwetša tumelelo, go botega, go se tšweletše maina a batšeakarolo, go laetša kwelobohloko le taolo ya tshedimošo a ile a obamelwa mo nyakišišong. Thesese ya nyakišišo ye e thiba sekgoba seo se hlotšwego ke tlhaelo ya dingwalo ka ga maitemogelo a badirelaleago mabapi le go lapa kudu mmmeleng le monaganong mošomong le ka moo ba šomanago le se, dipoelo tša nyakišišo ye di tla tliša lesedi le go hlohleletša badirelaleago ba maokelong go lemoga go lapa kudu mošomong le go bea dikgato tša go šomana le maemo a go kaonafatša maphelo a bona, gape bolemogi bjo bo hlotšwego ke diphihlelelo tša nyakišišo ye bo tla godiša kabo ya ditirelo go balwetši ka lebaka la gore badirelaleago bao ba kgonago go lemoga le go kgona go šoma maemong a ba ka kgona go aba tirelo ya boleng bjo bokaone gomme mafelelong ba thuša go abelana ka tsebo ye le balaodi le balekodi gore ba lemoge go lapa kudu mošomong le bohlokwa bja go thekga badirelaleago go šomana le go lapa kudu mmmeleng le mogopolong mošomong.