The Cost of Caring: An Exploration of Compassion Fatigue, Compassion Satisfaction, and Job Satisfaction in Pediatric Nurses

This current study had a very high response from second-career nurses (n = 245, 76.8%) and overall, the sample had higher levels of compassion satisfaction. It is possible that second career nurses are better equipped in some way that helps them mediate negative responses of caring as a pediatric nurse and future research should explore this. Due to the significant financial costs to institutions of having nurses who have low levels of job satisfaction and high levels on compassion fatigue, it is imperative for hospital administrators to develop infrastructures to support employees.