Abstract:
Compassion fatigue is a natural consequent of behaviors that include depletion on overall
well-being specifically on the physical, emotional, social and spiritual aspects often associated with
patient caregiving. This study explored the concept of compassion fatigue among caregivers in Gapan
City District Hospital using a sequential-explanatory mixed methods design. A series of survey
interviews followed by key-informant interviews were conducted to fulfill the data needed for this study
specifically the nature, prevalence and perceived effects of compassion fatigue among the caregivers. A
total of 50 caregivers in Gapan City District Hospital were sampled purposively. Majority of the
respondents were married females and on the young to middle adulthood phase aged 21-45 years old. All
respondents were affiliated to any of the religious sects such as Roman Catholicism, Iglesia ni Cristo,
Born Again Christian, and Protestantism respectively. Religion had also been found as the number one
coping strategy of the respondents in the form of prayers and church visits. Results showed that,
respondents had low to moderate levels of compassion fatigue. Most of the participants often experience
depletion on their physical health followed by the emotional and social aspects of being. Economic
constraints as well as insufficient government efforts and hospital services are the overarching problems
majority of the respondents had experienced. Qualitative interviews had shown the great value and
love rural people and Filipinos in general put into their family members especially the sick that they
consider the symptoms of compassion fatigue as not hindrances to extend care for their loved ones.
Perceived effects of compassion fatigue deemed to have negative consequences to the cared individual,
however, deep empathy and motivational factors had lessened the severity of compassion fatigue and
had prevented its adverse effects.
