Objective: Nurses working with cancer patients face unique psychological and emotional challenges due to the intense nature of their work environment. Alexithymia, characterized by difficulty in identifying and expressing emotions, may significantly impact these nurses' professional well-being. This study aims to explore the correlation between the levels of alexithymia and the experiences of occupational burnout, compassion satisfaction, and compassion fatigue among nurses in oncology settings. Material and Methods: A descriptive and correlational research design was employed at Gaziantep University Şahinbey Research and Application Hospital. The study involved 80 nurses from different oncology services. Assessment tools included the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory, Compassion Satisfaction Scale, and Compassion Fatigue-Short Scale. Results: The study found a moderate positive correlation between alexithymia and occupational burnout (r=0.418). Additionally, significant relationships were noted between burnout and compassion fatigue, and various demographic factors (age, marital status, voluntary work in oncology) were found to influence alexithymia and burnout levels. Conclusion: The findings highlight the need for targeted psychological support and interventions for nurses in oncology settings, given the identified relationship between alexithymia, burnout, and compassion fatigue. This study contributes to the understanding of the emotional dynamics in high-stress healthcare environments and emphasizes the importance of addressing these issues to improve patient care quality.
Keywords: Alexithymia; occupational burnout; compassion satisfaction; compassion fatigue; oncology nursing
Amaç: Kanser hastalarıyla çalışan hemşireler, çalışma ortamlarının yoğun doğası nedeniyle benzersiz psikolojik ve duygusal zorluklarla karşı karşıyadır. Duyguları tanımlama ve ifade etmedeki zorlukla karakterize edilen aleksitimi, bu hemşirelerin mesleki refahını önemli ölçüde etkileyebilir. Bu çalışma, onkoloji ortamlarında çalışan hemşirelerin aleksitimi düzeyleri ile mesleki tükenmişlik, merhamet tatmini ve merhamet yorgunluğu deneyimleri arasındaki ilişkiyi araştırmayı amaçlamaktadır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Gaziantep Üniversitesi Şahinbey Araştırma ve Uygulama Hastanesinde tanımlayıcı ve ilişkisel bir araştırma tasarımı uygulandı. Çalışmaya farklı onkoloji servislerinden 80 hemşire katıldı. Değerlendirme araçları arasında Toronto Aleksitimi Ölçeği, Maslach Tükenmişlik Envanteri, Merhamet Memnuniyeti Ölçeği ve Merhamet Yorgunluğu-Kısa Ölçeği yer aldı. Bulgular: Araştırmada aleksitimi ile mesleki tükenmişlik arasında orta düzeyde pozitif bir ilişki bulunmuştur (r=0,418). Ayrıca tükenmişlik ile merhamet yorgunluğu arasında anlamlı ilişkiler bulunmuş ve çeşitli demografik faktörlerin (yaş, medeni durum, onkolojide gönüllü çalışma) aleksitimi ve tükenmişlik düzeylerini etkilediği bulunmuştur. Sonuç: Bulgular, aleksitimi, tükenmişlik ve merhamet yorgunluğu arasında belirlenen ilişki göz önüne alındığında, onkoloji ortamlarında hemşirelere yönelik hedefe yönelik psikolojik destek ve müdahalelere duyulan ihtiyacı vurgulamaktadır. Bu çalışma, yüksek stresli sağlık hizmeti ortamlarındaki duygusal dinamiklerin anlaşılmasına katkıda bulunmakta ve hasta bakım kalitesini artırmak için bu sorunların ele alınmasının önemini vurgulamaktadır.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Aleksitimi; mesleki tükenmişlik; merhamet doyumu; merhamet yorgunluğu; onkoloji hemşireliği
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