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Reflections on Compassion, Suffering and Occupational Stress

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Perspectives on Human Suffering

Abstract

In dealing with people with life threatening illness, whether in the context of early diagnosis, palliative or end of life care, professional caregivers are witness to considerable suffering. Such suffering can lead to distress in caregivers, which may be manifest in burnout, compassion fatigue, moral distress or vicarious traumatization. It is proposed that through understanding the concepts of suffering and compassion and practicing self-awareness, self-care, mindfulness and other reflective practices, self-compassion, exquisite empathy, and a sense of meaning and connectedness, caregivers may be better able to care both for patients and themselves.

Live with compassion Work with compassion Die with compassionMeditate with compassion Enjoy with compassion When problems come, Experience them with compassion

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, A View on Buddhism: Compassion and Bodhicitta

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Remen (1996, p. 52), from Vachon (2006).

  2. 2.

    Puchalski et al. (2009), from Vachon (2011).

  3. 3.

    For a discussion of the research in stress and burnout in oncology and palliative care over the past 30 years, see Vachon and Sherwood (2007), Vachon (2010).

  4. 4.

    For reviews of the topic, see Vachon (1987), Vachon (1995), Vachon and Sherwood (2007), Vachon and Müeller (2009), Sabo and Vachon (2011).

  5. 5.

    Vaillant (2008), from Vachon and Huggard (2010). Emphasis was in the original.

  6. 6.

    It is worth noting that Mount has himself been living with a serious, life-threatening illness for years while he has simultaneously been studying how others cope with their illnesses. See also Kearney et al. (2009).

  7. 7.

    Perry (1998b), from Vachon and Huggard (2010).

  8. 8.

    This section adapted from Sabo and Vachon (2011).

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  1. Department of Psychiatry and Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Mary L. S. Vachon

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Correspondence to Mary L. S. Vachon .

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  1. , School of Philosophy - Private Bag 41, University of Tasmania, Hobart, 7001, Tasmania, Australia

    Jeff Malpas

  2. , School of Philosophy - Private Bag 41, University of Tasmania, Hobart, 7001, Tasmania, Australia

    Norelle Lickiss

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Vachon, M.L. (2012). Reflections on Compassion, Suffering and Occupational Stress. In: Malpas, J., Lickiss, N. (eds) Perspectives on Human Suffering. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2795-3_24

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