Student Paramedics' Experiences of Compassion Fatigue: a Phenomenological Mixed-methods Study

NCT ID: NCT06998602

Last Updated: 2025-06-04

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Total Enrollment: 7 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-11-19
• Study Completion Date: 2025-02-17

Brief Summary

This study explored how student paramedics experience compassion fatigue - a type of emotional and physical exhaustion that can occur when regularly caring for others in distress. The researchers wanted to understand how student paramedics feel about compassion fatigue, how it affects their work, and what kind of support might help them cope.

To do this, a group of student paramedics were interviewed about their personal experiences and also asked to complete a short questionnaire called the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL). This questionnaire measured their levels of compassion satisfaction (positive feelings from helping others), burnout (emotional exhaustion), and secondary traumatic stress (stress from exposure to others' trauma).

Detailed Description

This was a non-interventional, observational, mixed-methods study that used a phenomenological approach to explore student paramedics' experiences and perceptions of compassion fatigue (CF). The study aimed to identify how CF manifests during training, how it affects clinical practice, and which forms of support students believe would be helpful in preventing or managing CF.

Participants were recruited from the BSc (Hons) Paramedic Practice programme at UK University, using purposive, non-probability sampling. Data collection involved two components:

1. Semi-structured interviews conducted online via Microsoft Teams to explore participants' lived experiences.

2. Completion of the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) questionnaire, which measured Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, and Secondary Traumatic Stress.

Interview transcripts were analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke's six-step framework. The ProQOL data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential comparisons using both Frequentist and Bayesian analysis, using JASP software. The target sample size was between 3-10. Seven participants completed the study.

Eligible participants were contacted via email by the designated gatekeeper, the course leader. The email outlined that, as student paramedics who had attended clinical placement as part of their course, they were eligible to take part in the study. The email invited them to read the participant information sheet and contact the primary researcher with any questions. Those interested in participating were asked to get in touch to organise receipt of the informed consent form.

Following initial contact, the primary researcher corresponded with interested participants via email to arrange a suitable date and time for the interview. Depending on participant preference, interviews were conducted either on campus or via Microsoft Teams.

Conditions

Compassion Fatigue; Burnout; Paramedical Professional; Occupational Stress

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: OTHER
• Study Time Perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Participants will be eligible if they are a current Student Paramedic, studying at target University and have attended clinical placement.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Teesside University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Jonathan Robinson, Ph.D

Senior Lecturer in Research Methods

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Teesside University

Middlesbrough, , United Kingdom

Countries

United Kingdom

Other Identifiers

24118

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id