Is Self-Compassion Important for Health Care Practitioners?

The cornerstone of health care practice is the provision of competent, compassionate care. Compassion is generally considered an important component in the provision of health care; however, self-compassion may be of equal importance for health care practitioners (HCP) to observe and develop. Self-compassion promotes well-being and overall mental health and may reduce fatigue and “burn-out” for HCPs [1]. Estimates of burn out in physicians and nurses range from 35-50% and is associated with emotional exhaustion, high depersonalization and cynicism, and a low sense of personal accomplishment from work [2]. In a 2014 survey of 6695 U.S. physicians in clinical practice, nearly 1 in 5 indicated an intent to reduce clinical work hours in the next year, and approximately 1 in 50 indicated that they intend to leave medicine altogether within the next 2 years to pursue a different career [3]. A troubling report found that medical students who are approaching the end of their education; which, is when the highest amount of direct patient care occurs, tend to exhibit fewer caring behaviors and less compassion and empathy in general; which are strong indicators of exhaustion and burnout [4]. Other HCPs such as nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants report poor wellbeing and moderate to high levels of burnout affecting job performance and patient safety [5]. This article discusses the benefit of developing self-compassion to protect HCPs from burnout for their own well-being, and possibly for the health of their patients.