Compassion Fatigue and the MFM Sonographer
Compassion Fatigue and the MFM Sonographer
Maternal-Fetal Medicine sonography can be a very rewarding specialty; you are providing care for not just one, but two patients. The excitement around pregnancy and new life are contagious--it’s hard not to share in the joy. The reverse can apply as well; being an MFM sonographer can also mean crying with your patient over their loss or going to sleep wondering how a delivery went for a patient you’ve seen every week for the last 4 months. Most non-sonographers don’t understand the mental, emotional and physical toll this career can take and how common it is for MFM sonographers to experience compassion fatigue.
The American Institute of Stress refers to Compassion Fatigue as “vicarious traumatization or secondary traumatization” and “the emotional residue or strain of exposure to working with those suffering from the consequences of traumatic events… Compassion Fatigue can occur due to exposure to one case or can be due to a cumulative level of trauma”.
MFM sonographers work with a number of patients experiencing traumatic events, such as miscarriage, stillbirth, or a current pregnancy complicated by anomalies. It is possible to take on some amount of their stress during the course of care, sometimes without even realizing it. Many sonographers do not recognize when Compassion Fatigue sets in, and this makes it difficult to address. Understanding what Compassion Fatigue is and looking for warning signs can help mitigate its effects. Some of the most common symptoms include chronic physical and emotional exhaustion, difficulty sleeping, irritability and feelings of inequity about the therapeutic or caregiver relationship.
How do you prevent compassion fatigue, or deal with it, if you find yourself suffering? The most immediate answer is self-care. Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation author Colleen Breen states, "There is this myth that we have unlimited energy, but we are not Energizer Bunnies… we can't just keep going and going and going, giving and giving and giving. Self-care is a way to charge our inner batteries so we can continue caring for others.”
Self-care can include any act done deliberately for mental, emotional and physical health, and can look different from one person to the next. Some examples of self-care include exercise, meditation, long soaks in the bath, venting to a close friend, or even engaging a therapist. Acknowledging feelings and expressing them can be an effective release and talking to other caregivers about Compassion Fatigue is one way to address the issue with those who understand. Even if the trauma is being experienced second-hand, it’s still trauma. Compassion Fatigue is a natural by-product of being human, and understanding it is the first step towards dealing with it and strengthening your ability to continue to provide empathetic care to those you serve.
Compassion Fatigue is not unique to Sonographers, however, as a group, we can look out for one another, talk openly about stressors specific to our profession and support each other. We can encourage our team members and lead by example in trying some of the preventative measures listed above. Sometimes it takes just one person to reach out and help. Compassion Fatigue is a chronic problem, but we can minimize its impact if we work together.
Information in this blog post should not replace the advice of a physician or a mental health expert. Please contact a health professional if you feel that your symptoms warrant it.