Most of us are motivated to have compassion for those in need, but sometimes it can feel like the tank is running on empty. In this episode, wellness expert Kim Bambach, MD gives insight into compassion fatigue and strategies to thwart it.

Compassion fatigue is cumulative emotional and physical exhaustion stemming from exposure to the suffering of others. It is the “cost” of caring for others who are suffering. It leads to a diminished ability to manifest empathy compared to your normal baseline (this is important- it does not mean you are no longer a compassionate or empathetic person!)

Compassion fatigue is distinct from burnout. Burnout comes from factors in the external environment that are not necessarily related to empathy, such as increased administrative burden or lack of autonomy. CF is unique because it includes secondary trauma.

There are many similarities, including depersonalization, a reduced sense of personal accomplishment and meaning, and physical exhaustion.

In a study of PEM docs, burnout score was the most significant determinant of CF.

Guest Bio: Kim Bambach, MD is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at The Ohio State University and Assistant Director of the Kiehl Resident Wellness Endowment.

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For full show notes of this episode and all sorts of other goodies, visit our podcast website

We discuss:

What is compassion fatigue?
The signs and symptoms of compassion fatigue;
How compassion fatigue is different from burnout;
The “dark side” of empathy;
How to combat compassion fatigue.

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