Healthcare professionals management of compassion fatigue whilst caring for patients with Covid-19 in Mthatha and Durban, South Africa
1
Discipline of public healtg, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A2592
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT:
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS’ MANAGEMENT OF COMPASSION FATIGUE WHILST CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH COVID-19 IN MTHATHA AND DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA Thobeka Langa1*, Themba Ginindza1,2, Khumbulani Hlongwana1,2 1Discipline of Public Health, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa. 2Cancer & Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Research Unit, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa. *Corresponding Author Affiliation: University of KwaZulu-Nata Telephone: 031 260 4226 Email(s): 218057509@stu.ukzn.ac.za/ thobekalanga20@gmail.com ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly overwhelmed public health facilities in recent history, placing Healthcare professionals (HCPs)at the frontlines of an unprecedentedly high patient volume. Alongside physical exhaustion, HCPs experienced significant emotional and psychological strain. Prolonged exposure to suffering, death, and systemic stressors increased their risk of compassion fatigue. This study explored how HCPs in Mthatha and Durban, South Africa, managed compassion fatigue and related effects while caring for COVID-19 patients.
METHODS:
This was an exploratory qualitative study whereby we interviewed 35 purposively selected HCPs (doctors and nurses), using in-depth interview guide, in four health facilities involved in managing patients with COVID-19. Interviews were in English, audio-recorded (with participants’permission) and transcribed in verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data.
RESULTS:
The findings showed that HCPs’ compassion fatigue resulted from organisational and management challenges, including staff shortages, heavy workloads, inadequate resources, and limited institutional support. To cope, HCPs used various strategies which are; biological (PPE use and infection prevention measures), psychological (religious and spiritual coping and emotional numbness), and social strategies (peer support and debriefing with colleagues)
CONCLUSIONS:
HCPs proactively found biopsychosocial coping strategies to manage dreadful COVID-19, hence the Ministry of Health should leverage on these resources in building a locally-relevant, and responsive biopsychosocial interventions to mitigate the impact of future pandemics.
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS’ MANAGEMENT OF COMPASSION FATIGUE WHILST CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH COVID-19 IN MTHATHA AND DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA Thobeka Langa1*, Themba Ginindza1,2, Khumbulani Hlongwana1,2 1Discipline of Public Health, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa. 2Cancer & Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Research Unit, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa. *Corresponding Author Affiliation: University of KwaZulu-Nata Telephone: 031 260 4226 Email(s): 218057509@stu.ukzn.ac.za/ thobekalanga20@gmail.com ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly overwhelmed public health facilities in recent history, placing Healthcare professionals (HCPs)at the frontlines of an unprecedentedly high patient volume. Alongside physical exhaustion, HCPs experienced significant emotional and psychological strain. Prolonged exposure to suffering, death, and systemic stressors increased their risk of compassion fatigue. This study explored how HCPs in Mthatha and Durban, South Africa, managed compassion fatigue and related effects while caring for COVID-19 patients.
METHODS:
This was an exploratory qualitative study whereby we interviewed 35 purposively selected HCPs (doctors and nurses), using in-depth interview guide, in four health facilities involved in managing patients with COVID-19. Interviews were in English, audio-recorded (with participants’permission) and transcribed in verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data.
RESULTS:
The findings showed that HCPs’ compassion fatigue resulted from organisational and management challenges, including staff shortages, heavy workloads, inadequate resources, and limited institutional support. To cope, HCPs used various strategies which are; biological (PPE use and infection prevention measures), psychological (religious and spiritual coping and emotional numbness), and social strategies (peer support and debriefing with colleagues)
CONCLUSIONS:
HCPs proactively found biopsychosocial coping strategies to manage dreadful COVID-19, hence the Ministry of Health should leverage on these resources in building a locally-relevant, and responsive biopsychosocial interventions to mitigate the impact of future pandemics.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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