Moral sensitivity, spiritual care perception, and compassion fatigue of nurses caring for earthquake victims

Abstract

Background

Two major earthquakes occurred within 10 hours in Kahramanmaraş on February 6, 2023, which resulted in thousands of deaths and injured people within Turkey.

Aim

To determine the relationship between moral sensitivity, spiritual care perception, and compassion fatigue among nurses caring for earthquake victims.

Methods

The study population consisted of 483 nurses working in public, private, and university hospitals in earthquake-affected areas in Turkey. The sociodemographic characteristics form, moral sensitivity questionnaire, spirituality and spiritual care rating scale, and compassion fatigue short scale were used for data collection.

Results

There was a statistically significant negative relationship between nurses' moral sensitivity and compassion fatigue; in other words, as compassion fatigue increases, nurses' moral sensitivity decreases. A statistically significant negative relationship was found between nurses' perception of spiritual care and their compassion fatigue; in other words, as compassion fatigue increases, nurses' perception of spirituality and spiritual care decreases.

Conclusion

This study provides valuable insights into moral sensitivity, perceptions of spiritual care, and compassion fatigue among nurses caring for earthquake victims.

Implications for nursing and health policy

Minimizing nurses' compassion fatigue improves quality patient care, increases patient and employee satisfaction, and maintains commitment to the profession. To achieve this goal, it is essential to offer in-service training, conferences, or seminar programs to nurses focused on fostering a sense of compassion. Nurses should be provided with environments that will improve their self-care, and institutional policies and strategies should be developed to cope effectively with this situation.