Copyright (c) 2026 Vision Antataura
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Healthcare professionals may experience compassion fatigue as a consequence of sustained emotional demand, especially those who work with vulnerable populations. Prolonged exposure to situations of suffering can lead to compassion fatigue. The objective of this study was to determine the presence of compassion fatigue among healthcare professionals at a primary care institution and a secondary-level hospital in the province of Herrera, Panama. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 23 professionals from areas such as social work, psychology, palliative care, psychiatry, and mental health nursing. The Empathy Burnout Inventory (EBI) was used. The results showed that the majority of professionals (56.52%) presented normal empathic functioning without risk of Empathy Burnout Syndrome (EBS), 39.13% showed optimal functioning, and 4.35% showed normal functioning with risk, corresponding to a young professional with less work experience, suggesting that this group may be more susceptible. In the EBI dimensions, low emotional involvement (91.3%), good self-care (65.2%), and moderate vulnerability levels (52.2%) predominated. No cases of abnormal functioning with established EBS were identified. The findings highlight the importance of implementing preventive self-care strategies, especially for professionals with less work experience, in order to ensure high-quality clinical care and protect the mental health of healthcare personnel.
Este obra está bajo una licencia de Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0 Internacional.
