Occupational stress and compassion fatigue: a cross-sectional association study among nursing professionals

This study evaluated the association between occupational stress and compassion fatigue among Brazilian nurses working in a hospital setting. This study is a census-based, cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational investigation conducted among 83 nurses from a medium-sized university hospital in the southernmost part of Brazil. Validated instruments were used to assess occupational stress (Work Stress Scale) and professional quality of life (Professional Quality of Life Scale – ProQoL-BR). Logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between occupational stress and compassion fatigue, while adjusting for sociodemographic and professional variables. The prevalence of compassion fatigue was 65.9%, while 34.9% of participants exhibited occupational stress. A 10% increase in the occupational stress score was associated with a 33% increase in the likelihood of developing compassion fatigue. This association was influenced by variables such as age, sex, and sleep duration. This study associated occupational stress with compassion fatigue among hospital nurses, particularly in more vulnerable subgroups, such as female, older, and sleep-deprived professionals. These findings underscore the need for institutional policies that promote occupational health and prevent psychosocial problems.