Compassion satisfaction and fatigue among healthcare professionals in the emergency medical services during the COVID-19 pandemic

Dorra LOGHMARI, M LEHOUIMEL, O EZZI, Sarra SOUA, Rabeb MBAREK, Sondes LAAJIMI, Haifa BRAIDI, Naoufel CHEBILI

Abstract

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic, has exposed healthcare professionals to higher levels of
psychological distress, especially compassion fatigue (CF) which includes syndromes (burnout (BO)
and secondary traumatic stress (STS). Our study aims to assess satisfaction (CS) among healthcare
professionals (HCP) through the Professional Quality of Life score.
Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 64 HCPs who had worked in the
(SAMU) in French
during the period from 1/03/2020 to 1/06/2021. We used an unsupervised and self-administrated survey
for the self-assessment of the professional quality of life using the ProQOL V.
Results: The mean score of CS, BO, and STS were 34.4 ±6.566; 28.59±6.19.7, and 31.56 ±4.357,
respectively. The majority of participants presented a medium level of STS, BO, and CS. There were
significant differences by profession for CS, with paramedics having the highest score. There was a
significant positive correlation between CS and age. CS differed based on whether they were infected or
not by COVID-19. Age, comorbidities, professional status, and individual estimation of the risk of
contracting covid-19 during work weighted BO. Only sex weighted STS. All three subscales were
significantly correlated with each other. CS was negatively correlated with the other subscales. There
were positive correlations between STS and BO. In the multiple linear regression model, only BO and
the use of safety measures had a significant association with CS. As for BO, the variables with significant
weights were comorbidities and CS. As for STS, only sex showed significant weights
Conclusion: Future lines of research and improvement strategies, emerge based on these data to
cultivate compassion, empower CPs to prevent CF, and diminish BO and STS and their effects on both
professionals and patients.