By: Barbara Rubel, MA, BCETS, CBS, CBPC

Barbara Rubel, MA, BCETS, CBS, CBPC — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:00:38 +0000

Are you a FABULOUS travel nurse? Travel nurses are compassionate and have a strong desire to alleviate pain. Compassionate travel nurses can experience compassion fatigue, where they are preocupied with their patient’s taruma and crisis situations. Nurses may experience avoidance, numbing, re-experince their patient’s traumatic events, can feel helpless, confused, and isolated. Travel nurses understand that their patients experience primary traumatic stress, but must be mindful of the secondary traumatic stress they can experience in being caring helpers. The research recommends that travel nurses identify time management techniques, eat well, exercise, and limit alcohol use. During my keynotes for nursing conferences across the country, I recommend being FABULOUS! Travel nurses can remember this word to prevent compassion fatigue. Let’s look at what FABULOUS stands for . . . F=Flexiblity, A=Attitude, B=Boundaries, U=Understanding, L=Laughter, O=Optimistic,U=United, S=Self-esteem. If travel nurses are cognitively flexible, have a postivie attitude, maintain boundaires, are understanding and find ways to laugh and maintain optimism, are united and connected with friends, family, peers, their belief system and/or their community while maintaining a positive self-esteem they can lessen their stress levels, prevent burnout, and cope with compassion fatigue.

Comments on: Compassion Fatigue for nurses?…

By: Barbara Rubel, MA, BCETS, CBS, CBPC