The Role of the Nurse Educator in Sustaining Compassion in the Workplace: A Case Study From an Intensive Care Unit

Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses are frequently exposed to emotional and stressful situations in the workplace, which has changed little over the decades. Compassion fatigue is caused by sustained exposure to situations that conflict with one’s values and beliefs in the ICU, eroding clinical team relationships and ultimately the quality and safety of patient care. Continuing education in the intensive care setting is a priority, as ICU nurses need to remain abreast of the rapid developments in high-acuity care delivery; however, attention also needs to be directed to nurses’ emotional well-being. Nurse educators are well positioned to create and sustain open dialogue that contributes to group cohesion and assists nurses’ well-being.