Name
Chamberlain University
NR-702: DNP Project & Practicum I
Prof. Name
Date
Clinical Question: Can education help reawaken compassion among frontline nursing staff who experience burnout symptoms that lead to compassion fatigue (CF)?
This study seeks to determine whether structured education and reflective practices can reduce compassion fatigue and enhance compassion satisfaction among nurses. Compassion fatigue is a prevalent issue among frontline staff, particularly in high-stress areas such as intensive care units (ICUs) and emergency departments, where repeated exposure to patient suffering often results in emotional exhaustion. By introducing educational and reflective practices, such as Schwartz Rounds, this study explores whether compassionate care can be reinvigorated, improving both staff well-being and patient outcomes.
| PICOT Element | Description |
|---|---|
| P (Population) | Bedside nurses in hospital settings (ICU and ER) |
| I (Intervention) | Implementation of a structured care model and Schwartz Rounds (compassion-focused reflective discussions) |
| C (Comparison) | No intervention group |
| O (Outcome) | Increased compassion awareness, improved job satisfaction, reduced burnout |
| T (Timeframe) | 8 weeks |
The sample will include nurses from ICUs and emergency departments, as these areas are particularly vulnerable to burnout and compassion fatigue due to the intensity of patient care demands. Participants of all genders, age groups, and professional experience levels (from novice to expert nurses) will be eligible to take part in the Schwartz Rounds. These units are chosen because staff frequently manage emotionally challenging cases, leading to increased risk of detachment and loss of empathy. By involving a diverse group of nurses, the study ensures representation and generalizability of findings.
Conducting a power analysis is essential for ensuring that the study recruits a sufficient number of participants to produce valid and reliable results. Power analysis not only strengthens the statistical credibility of the research but also reduces the risk of false-positive or false-negative outcomes. According to Seaman, Seaman, and Allen (2015), studies with inadequate sample sizes often yield inconclusive findings, while appropriately powered studies provide accurate evidence for practice change. Similarly, Sylvia and Terhaar (2014) emphasize that determining the correct sample size ensures that results are statistically significant and can be generalized to the wider nursing population. In this study, the sample size will be calculated based on the estimated number of nurses at risk for compassion fatigue in ICU and emergency departments.
The study will evaluate the impact of the intervention using the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL), a validated tool developed by Stamm (2010). ProQOL assesses positive outcomes, such as compassion satisfaction, and negative outcomes, such as burnout and secondary traumatic stress. The use of pre- and post-intervention surveys will allow for a comparison of baseline and post-intervention data, thereby identifying any significant improvements in compassion awareness and job satisfaction among the participants.
The evaluation plan consists of pre-test and post-test surveys. Before participation in Schwartz Rounds, nurses will complete the ProQOL survey to establish baseline measures of compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction. Following the 8-week intervention, the same survey will be administered to determine whether measurable improvements have occurred. This before-and-after design helps identify both individual and group-level changes, offering insight into the effectiveness of the educational and reflective intervention.
Summative evaluation will focus on overall changes in emotional resilience and work satisfaction at the conclusion of the program. The post-test results of the ProQOL survey will serve as the primary summative measure. Increased compassion satisfaction and reduced levels of burnout among participants will indicate success. Such findings would support previous research demonstrating that structured reflective practices, such as Schwartz Rounds, can improve professional well-being and foster stronger workplace culture (Morrow, Mood, Disch, & Kang, 2015).
Formative evaluation will be conducted throughout the intervention. Periodic feedback sessions and informal discussions will be used to assess participant engagement and the relevance of the program. By gathering this ongoing feedback, adjustments can be made to improve the effectiveness of Schwartz Rounds and ensure participants feel supported. At the end of the 8-week program, comparing pre- and post-test ProQOL results will provide evidence of whether compassion satisfaction has increased and burnout has decreased.
The involvement of a statistician will be critical for ensuring robust data analysis and validity of results. The statistician will assist with selecting appropriate statistical tests, analyzing survey results, and interpreting findings in a meaningful way. Accurate interpretation is essential for translating research into evidence-based practice.
Collected data from the ProQOL survey will be analyzed using IBM SPSS and Microsoft Excel. Given that ProQOL data consists of interval-level measurements, descriptive statistics such as mean scores, standard deviations, and ranges will first be calculated. Inferential statistics, including t-tests or ANOVA, may then be applied to evaluate whether pre- and post-test differences are statistically significant. This analytical approach ensures methodological rigor and supports conclusions regarding the effectiveness of the intervention (Sylvia & Terhaar, 2014).
Morrow Jr, J. R., Mood, D., Disch, J., & Kang, M. (2015). Measurement and evaluation in human performance (5th ed.). Human Kinetics.
Seaman, C. A., Seaman, J. E., & Allen, I. E. (2015). The significance of power. Quality Progress, 48(7), 51–53.
Stamm, B. H. (2010). The ProQOL (Professional Quality of Life Scale: Compassion Satisfaction and Compassion Fatigue). Pocatello, ID: ProQOL.org. Retrieved from http://www.proqol.org
Sylvia, M., & Terhaar, M. (2014). An approach to clinical data management for the Doctor of Nursing Practice curriculum. Journal of Professional Nursing, 30(1), 56–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2013.04.002
