2. Compassion Fatigue For the Professional Pet Sitter
Katherine Dobbs, LVT, CVPM, PHR

3. Compassion Fatigue is characterized by deep physical and emotional exhaustion and a pronounced change in the helper’s ability to feel empathy for their patients, their loved ones, and their co-workers.
Francoise Mathieu

4. What is Compassion?
Compassion is a deep awareness of the suffering of another, coupled with the wish to relieve it. Figley & Roop, 2006

5. What is Fatigue?
Fatigue is the mental weariness resulting from exertion that is associated with attending to the emotional and physical pain of others. Figley & Roop, 2006

6. Compassion Fatigue vs. Burnout
Burnout results from stresses that arise from the clinician’s interaction with the work environment …
while compassion fatigue evolves specifically from the relationship between the clinician and the patient.
Kearney et. al., 2009

7. Compassion Fatigue vs. Burnout
Burnout is more associated with WHERE you work; if you leave the job, you leave behind the burnout…
BUT, Compassion Fatigue is more associated with the work you DO,
and it follows you wherever you go…

8. The only way out…is through.
Compassion Fatigue…
The only way out…is through.
- Carol Pearson

9. Relationships And Consequences
Repeat clients, we develop relationships
When pet is ill, we provide emotional support
When pet is ill, we provide medical support
When pet dies, we experience grief
When client dies, we experience grief
When family moves, we experience loss

10. Professional Quality of Life Scale
A Way To Measure
ProQOL
Professional Quality of Life Scale
 B. Hudnall Stamm

11. ProQOL helps to identify…
Compassion Satisfaction: the pleasure derived from being able to do the work well
Burnout: the associated feelings of hopelessness and difficulties in dealing with work or doing the job effectively
Secondary Traumatic Stress (Compassion Fatigue): the work-related exposure to extremely stressful events

12. Compassion Satisfaction
Compassion Satisfaction: the pleasure derived from being able to do the work well…
“ To understand the negative “costs of caring,” it is necessary to understand the credits or positive “payments” that come from caring.”
Figley, 2002

13. Causes of Compassion Fatigue
Placing needs of others before your own

14. Causes of Compassion Fatigue
Placing needs of others before your own
Unresolved past trauma and pain
Lack of healthy life coping skills
Lack of self awareness that limits growth
Giving care to others under stress
Lack of personal boundaries
Inability to communicate needs

15. Why us?
Only compassionate, empathic, loving, and caring people suffer from compassion fatigue—the very people who are so vital to the animal-care field.
Figley & Roop, 2006

16. Now the Symptoms…

17. Symptoms of Compassion Fatigue
Bottled-up emotions
Impulse to rescue anyone (or thing) in need
Isolation from others
Sadness and Apathy…

18. and emotional exhaustion.
A Note On Apathy…
A coping strategy sometimes adopted by health professionals is to avoid experiencing compassion fatigue by remaining emotionally detached
from their patients.
However research has shown that remaining detached can still lead to stress
and emotional exhaustion.
Huggard & Huggard 2008

19. Symptoms of Compassion Fatigue
Bottled-up emotions
Impulse to rescue anyone (or thing) in need
Isolation from others
Sadness and apathy
Needs to voice excessive complaints about management and co-workers

20. Symptoms of Compassion Fatigue
Lack of interest in self-care practices
Reoccurring nightmare and flashbacks
Persistent physical ailments
Difficulty concentrating, mentally tired
Prone to accidents

21. Compassion Fatigue At Home
Withdrawn
Decreased interest in intimacy
Mistrust
Isolation from friends
Impact on parenting
Projection of anger or blame
Intolerance

22. Compassion Fatigue… A Look in the Mirror

23. Standards of Self-Care
Acknowledge your needs and wants
Clarify your goals and objectives
Educate yourself about pertinent issues
Create a sustainable plan
Shift from other-directedness to self-directedness
Shift from issue-driven to mission-driven
Practice the art of confinement
Find your balance; stay on course

24. I once listed all the good things I did over the past year and then turned them into resolution form and backdated them.
That was a good feeling.
Robert Fulghum

25. Building Blocks of Change

26. Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Timely
SMART Goals
Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Timely

27. Get 8 Hours Sleep Every Night Take Nutrition Course This Summer
SUCCESS!! ??
Get 8 Hours Sleep Every Night
Walk 15 Mins Every Day
Take Nutrition Course This Summer
???

28. Creating a Personal Self Care Plan
List 5 things you must do on any given day (i.e. eat, shower, go to work)
______________________________________
List 5 things that would energize you that you want to fit into every given day.
(i.e. exercise, visit with friends, nap)

29. It doesn’t work to leap a
twenty-foot chasm
…in two ten-foot jumps.
Source Unknown

30. Anything BUT Selfish…
Self-care enables [us] to care for patients in a sustainable way with greater compassion, sensitivity, effectiveness, and empathy.
Kearney, et. al., 2009
“The heart must first
pump blood to itself.”
SL Shapiro, 2008

31. To Be Valued and Validated
Basic Human Needs
To Love and be Loved
To Be Valued and Validated
???
To Feel Safe and Secure

32. Activity 11: Basic Human Needs
To Love and be Loved
To Be Valued and Validated
Reason
Respect
Recharge
To Feel Safe and Secure

33. One Last Thing… Activity 12
…A Personal Mission Statement!

34. Caregiver’s Bill of Rights
As a Caregiver, I have the right to…
… to be respected for the work I choose to do.
… to take pride in my work and know that I am making a difference.
… to garner appreciation and validation for the care I give others.
… to receive adequate pay for my job as a professional caregiver.
… to discern my personal boundaries and have others respect my choices.
… to seek assistance from others, if and when it is necessary

35. Caregiver’s Bill of Rights
… to take time off to re-energize myself … to socialize, maintain my interests, and sustain a balanced lifestyle. … to my own feelings, including negative emotions such as anger, sadness and frustration. … to express my thoughts and feelings to appropriate people at appropriate times. … to convey hope to those in my care. … to believe those in my care will prosper in mind, body and spirit as a result of my caregiving.

36. Transitions…Signs of Change
Things start coming together and feel right
You exude “good energy”—invigorated
You don’t lose interest easily
You are motivated to succeed
You don’t feel exhausted or spent at end of day
You start networking with others with ease
You feel a need to share your knowledge and skills

37. The Transition is Complete!
…You’re living a better life!

38. Compassion Fatigue At Work… Do You Hire or Work For Others?

39. Three-Pronged Approach
…over the last decade there has been an increasing awareness of the need to develop ways to “care for our careers”.
With this, is a growing recognition of the necessity for a three-pronged approach to managing occupational stress.
Firstly, an organizational responsibility to care for staff, secondly, an obligation amongst peers to support colleagues, and thirdly, a personal responsibility to care for oneself.
Huggard and Huggard, 2008

40. Employees ARE the Organization!
When compassion fatigue among employees hits critical mass, the organization itself suffers. Smith, 2009

41. Who’s Responsible for Change?
The company can provide a place and time for the discussion
The company can offer tools to the team
The company can give the team space to explore compassion fatigue
The company can continue ongoing awareness of compassion fatigue

42. Who’s Responsible for Change?
The company can open the conversation, but YOU must talk
The company can offer tools, but YOU must take advantage of them
The company can give you the space, but YOU must enter in together
The company can make you AWARE, but you must open your eyes

43. Symptoms of Compassion Fatigue
Bottled-up emotions
Impulse to rescue anyone (or thing) in need
Isolation from others
Sadness and apathy
Needs to voice excessive complaints about management and co-workers
Lack of interest in self-care practices
Reoccurring nightmare and flashbacks
Persistent physical ailments
Difficulty concentrating, mentally tired
Prone to accidents

44. Symptoms of Organizational Compassion Fatigue
Excessive amount of worker’s comp claims
High absenteeism, turnover…attrition
Changes in co-workers’ relationships
Inability for teams to work well together
Team challenges rules and regulations
Aggressive behavior among teammates

45. Symptoms of Organizational Compassion Fatigue
Team unable to complete assigned tasks
Team displays lack of flexibility
Unhealthy competition among teammates
Rampant rumors and gossip
Constant changes in practice policies
Smith, 2008

46. The Survey: The Manager
Robert G. Roop, Ph.D.
Compassion Satisfaction and Fatigue Survey

47. What the Survey Implies…
Managers who come “up” in profession
What stressors did you:
Increase?
Decrease?
What satisfiers did you:
Decrease?’

48. What the Survey Implies…
Managers who come “up” in profession
More contact with Difficult Clients
Less contact with Animals
“Removed” from the Team
…suffer from a distinct type of Compassion Fatigue

49. In the Context of Work…
Compassion Stress is a function of the general morale and supportiveness of fellow workers, especially the supervisor and administration. Figley & Roop, 2006

50. From Second-Hand Shock
We must be able to identify Vicarious Trauma without shame or fear of reprisal. As professionals, we need to recognize that Vicarious Trauma is a veritable occupation hazard. We must accept helpers’ reaction as expected and normal responses and provide a safe environment for debriefing and healing. Izzo and Miller, 2010

51. Training in the Prevention of VT:
Recognition that VT is an occupational hazard and is de-stigmatized
Honoring and respecting one another as human beings
Support wellness: vacation time, sick time, personal leave
Build a culture of excellence

52. Training in the Prevention of VT:
Providing adequate pay and benefits
Rewarding clinical skills
Setting positive goals
Building up buffering strategies
Always backing your team
Encourage and reward CE

53. Training in the Prevention of VT:
Obtaining consultation for administrators, managers and supervisors
Confidentiality, and never penalizing someone who reveals VT
Training competent supervisors who understand the dynamics of VT
Requiring supervisors to prevent contagion

54. Create The Culture
Create a culture that encourages, values, and recognizes exemplary displays of compassion.
If employees do not believe they are respected and appreciated for their efforts, and if they do not feel cared about by those who have responsibility for them, it will be more difficult for them to establish and maintain a truly caring environment for patients [and clients].
Paul B. Hofmann
Healthcare Executive Sep/Oct 2009

55. Eight Laws Governing A Healthy Workplace
1. Provide a respite for the team.
2. Provide continuing education for team.
3. Provide acceptable benefits to aid staff in practicing beneficial self care.
4. Provide management and team with tools to accomplish their tasks.

56. Eight Laws Governing A Healthy Workplace
5. Provide direct management to monitor workloads.
6. Provide positive, team-building activities to promote strong social relationships between colleagues.
7. Encourage “open door” policies to promote good communication between team members.
8. Have grief processes in place when traumatic events occur onsite.
Smith, 2008

57. Honoring The Love and Loss
Support and enjoy the relationships
Let yourself feel and express concern
Understand pet’s disease process and care
Honor the loss of a pet
Honor the loss of a client
Continue relationship beyond the job

58. How can we help EACH OTHER?
Five Phases of Transition for a New Helper
Phase One—The Dream
Phase Two—The Start
Phase Three—Losing Our Breath
Phase Four—Desperately Seeking Rhythm
Phase Five—Finding Our Rhythm
Figley & Roop, 2006

59. Phase One—The Dream “Imagine the good work we will do”…
Prepare the New Employee for CF

60. Phase Two—The Start Enthusiasm overflows, we live the cause…
Coach “Slow and Steady Wins the Race!”

61. Phase Three—Losing Our Breath
Sinks in that the journey is long…
Be Watchful, Provide Private Mentoring

62. Phase Four—Seeking Rhythm
Either take steps to move forward…
…Or, check out and leave profession
Step In, Or Employee May Step Out!

63. Phase Five—Finding Rhythm
Finding our pace, our niche, our way
…Previous successes to draw from
Remind Them of Their Successes!

64. Katherine Dobbs, RVT, CVPM, PHR
Thank You
Katherine Dobbs, RVT, CVPM, PHR