What Makes Oncologists Feel Compassion Fatigue? Qualitative Findings From Korea

This study explored oncologists’ compassion fatigue in their practice with cancer patients and families. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted. A purposeful sample of nine oncologists was recruited from three hospitals in Korea. We used a hybrid of the theory-driven deductive approach and data-driven inductive approach based on the transactional model of physician compassion. Oncologists shared contexts from which their compassion fatigue stems based on four categories: physician factors, clinical factors, patient and family factors, and environmental and institutional factors. Given the nature of their job, oncologists should receive interventions that improve resilience and reduce compassion fatigue. We suggest interventions that promote appropriate levels of compassion and reduce interfering barriers.