The Effect of a Compassion Fatigue Resiliency Program on Nurses’ Professional Quality of Life, Stress, and Resilience During COVID-19: A Quasi-Experimental Study with 3-Month Follow-Up

Background: There is a lack of interventional studies with longitudinal follow-ups examining nurses’ coping abilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no study investigating the effect of a Compassion Fatigue Resiliency Program (CFRP) on nurses working in COVID-19 units. This study implemented a CFRP for nurses to examine its effect on their professional quality of life, perceived stress, and resilience and to obtain participants’ views on the program.

Methods: The research was conducted as a single-group quasi-experimental study design with pre-posttest and 3-month follow-up tests with 29 nurses working in COVID-19 units. The Compassion Fatigue Resiliency Program was implemented as an intervention. Data were collected between December 2021 and April 2022.

Results: The CFRP reduced nurses’ burnout and stress and increased resilience in the short term; however, its effect did not continue in the long term. Nurses’ perceptions of the overall effectiveness of the training were high, and the narrative feedback was very positive. They reported that the program increased their awareness about compassion fatigue, improved their coping skills, and was useful in establishing a work-life balance. The narrative feedback of the nurses also showed that the interaction of nurses with colleagues who have similar experiences helps them to feel social support.

Conclusion: The study results showed that CFRP was useful in developing nurses’ coping skills and ensuring work-life balance. Organizations could develop strategies to support nurses and prioritize nurses caring for themselves at the same level as caring for others. It is recommended that CFRP be included in in-service training programs and repeated at 3-month intervals.

Cite this article as: Pehlivan Sarıbudak T, Çepni B. The effect of a compassion fatigue resiliency program on nurses’ professional quality of life, stress, and resilience during Covid-19: A quasi-experimental study with 3-month follow-up. Arch Health Sci Res. 2025; 12, 0183, doi: 10.5152/ArcHealthSciRes.2025.24183.