Social Workers’ Resilience: Preventing Burnout and Compassion Fatigue in Pediatric Oncology

Abstract

Background: Working in pediatric oncology is highly stressful and exhausting for social workers. Evidence acknowledges the development of compassion fatigue and burnout as a result of being continuously in this field. Objectives: This study was aimed to explore how pediatric oncology social workers alleviate compassion fatigue and burnout. Methods: The present qualitative study was performed using a content analysis method. A total of 19 social workers participated in this study who were providing services for children with cancer and their families in public and specialized children's cancer hospitals in Iran. A purposeful sampling method was applied, until reaching data saturation. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and were analyzed by qualitative inductive content analysis. The trustworthiness of the study was supported by considering the creditability, transferability, dependability, and conformability. The study lasted from 2015 to 2017. Results: Four main categories including sense of being worthy, self-care, professional growth, and establishing boundaries were extracted from the experiences of social workers which was identified “resiliency of social workers” as a key concept. The contributing factors demonstrated the strategies was used by social workers to protect themselves from CF and BO. Conclusions: As a result of this study, through recognizing the strategies to resilience in pediatric oncology social workers and enforcing its contributing factors, the health-care system, social workers, and the patients would all benefit. The results of this study can be used as the basis for future research in this field.