Burnout and Compassion Fatigue among Medical and Nursing Teams in Palliative Care: Cross-Sectional Study

Silva, Arthur Fernandes da; Batista, Josene Ferreira; Lima, Jurema Telles de Oliveira

doi:10.32635/2176-9745.RBC.2025v71n3.5273

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Original Article • Rev. Bras. Cancerol. 71 (3) • 2025 • https://doi.org/10.32635/2176-9745.RBC.2025v71n3.5273EN linkcopy

Burnout and Compassion Fatigue among Medical and Nursing Teams in Palliative Care: Cross-Sectional Study

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Healthcare workers, such as doctors, nurses and licensed practical nurses may be subjected to physical or emotional stress related to work for several reasons: organizational factors, lack of skills or competencies and low social support at work, in addition to internal issues, such as frequent exposure to caring for people with intense suffering.

Objective: To evaluate the factors related to burnout syndrome (BS) and compassion fatigue (CF) among medical and nursing teams in scenarios of the therapeutic itinerary of oncology patients in palliative care.

Method: This was a cross-sectional study with palliative care medical and nursing teams, emergency, clinical oncology, and intensive care services at a referral center for oncology in Recife, Pernambuco (Brazil). Sociodemographic data were collected, and the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory and Professional Quality of Life Scales were used to assess BS and CF, respectively.

Results: Physicians exhibited characteristics more prone to suffering, with lower compassion satisfaction (CS) (45.67 ± 10.55) and greater disengagement from work (2.28 ± 0.66). Palliative care professionals demonstrated more positive characteristics compared to others, with lower disengagement from work (1.86 ± 0.38; p = 0.04) and greater CS (53.63 ± 10.33). Intensive care and emergency presented higher risk illness profile with reduced CS and high levels of disengagement from work.

Conclusion: Physicians and emergency and intensive care teams were more likely to suffer from BS and CF, while licensed practical nurses and the palliative care team presented healthier indicators. These data can support institutional approaches to identify risk factors for BS and CF among workers and develop effective solutions for them.

Key words:
Health Personnel/psychology; Burnout, Psychological; Compassion Fatigue

Variables		N	%
Sex	Male	22	26.50
	Female	61	73.50
Marital status	Single	40	48.20
	Legally married	29	34.90
	Stable union for more than six months	11	13.30
	Separated or divorced	02	2.40
	Widow/widower	01	1.20
Children	Yes	42	50.60
	No	41	49.40
Color/Race	White	34	41.00
	Brown	42	50.60
	Black	07	8.40
Religion	Yes	70	84.30
	No	13	15.70
Type of religion	Catholic	40	48.20
	Spiritualist	10	12.00
	Evangelic	26	31.30
	Others	07	8.50
Pets	Yes	30	36.10
	No	53	63.90
Professional category	Medicine	28	33.70
	Nursing	21	25.30
	Licensed practical nurse	34	41.00
Working time	< 5 years	27	32.50
	> 5 < 10 years	35	42.20
	> 10 < 20 years	19	22.90
	20 or more years	02	2.40
Sector	Palliative care	16	19.30
	Oncology adults	38	45.80
	PCU	20	24.10
	Clinical ICU	09	10.80
Working time at the sector	< 5 years	49	59.00
	> 5 < 10 years	28	33.80
	> 10 < 15 years	06	7.20
Work regimen	Daily worker	39	47.00
	On-duty	44	53.00
Work load at the institution	12 hours	27	32.50
	24 hours	06	7.20
	30 hours	11	13.30
	40 hours	26	31.30
	More than 40 hours	13	15.70
Works elsewhere	Yes	39	47.00
	No	44	53.00
Workload elsewhere	12 hours	10	25.60
	20 hours	02	5.10
	24 hours	06	15.40
	30 hours	04	10.30
	40 hours	10	15.60
	More than 40 hours	07	17.90
Currently studying?	Yes	30	36.10
	No	53	63.90
Dedication to studies	Not applicable	53	63.90
	6 hours week	10	12.00
	From 7 to 12 hours week	08	9.60
	More than 12 hours week	12	14.00

Variables	Clinician			Nursing			Licensed Practical Nurse			p
	Mean	SD	MD	Mean	SD	MD	Mean	SD	MD
ProQOL-IV
CS	45.6	10.55	45.65	52.22	9.35	55.06	52.18	8.98	54.30	0.02
Burnout	51.11	8.82	54.04	51.87	11.02	51.25	47.91	10.16	47.52	0.29
CF	49.04	9.89	46.85	53.98	8.14	54.51	48.32	10.70	46.46	0.03
OLBI
DW	2.28	0.66	2.36	2.19	0.70	2.36	1.99	0.59	1.86	0.19
EE	2.68	0.68	2.83	3.04	0.74	3.17	2.46	0.76	2.25	0.02

Variables	Palliative care			Oncology adult			PCU			Clinical ICU			p
	Mean	SD	MD	Mean	SD	MD	Mean	SD	MD	Mean	SD	MD
ProQOL-IV
CS	53.63	10.33	57.35	51.64	8.64	53.53	43.90	11.25	49.59	50.13	10.00	48.95	0.02
Burnout	46.13	11.25	44.73	49.78	10.62	50.32	53.48	8.41	55.90	50.01	6.11	51.25	0.17
CF	48.85	10.77	47.55	49.64	9.07	48.25	52.08	12.18	50.33	48.94	7.65	48.94	0.81
OLBI
DW	1.86	0.38	1.71	2.06	0.64	2.07	2.33	0.73	2.29	2.52	0.64	2.71	0.04
EE	2.39	0.80	2.25	2.74	0.82	2.75	2.77	0.59	2.83	2.78	068	3.00	0.37

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Instituto Nacional de Câncer Rua Marquês de Pombal, 125 - 2º andar, Centro , CEP 20230-240, Tel.: +55 21 3207-6132 - Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brazil
E-mail: rbc@inca.gov.br

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[TFN6] Captions: PCU: prompt care unit; ICU: intensive care unit.