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

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).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Burnout; Occupational Stress; Compassion Fatigue; Paramedical Professional

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.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 7

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
    • Teesside University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Student paramedics enrolled in the BSc (Hons) Paramedic Practice programme at the target University, a higher education institution located in Middlesbrough, UK. Participants were recruited from across multiple year groups, including apprentices, using purposive sampling.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

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

Exclusion Criteria:

• There is no exclusion criteria other than mental capacity.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Themes related to student paramedics' experiences of compassion fatigue	Key qualitative themes derived from semi-structured interviews with student paramedics, using Braun and Clarke's six-step thematic analysis framework. Themes will reflect participants' lived experiences, perceptions, and coping mechanisms related to compassion fatigue.	Interviews were completed at a single time point, depending on when the voluntary participant joined the study (between the 19th November 2024 and 13th December 2024).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Compassion Satisfaction score (ProQOL)	Self-reported scores on the Compassion Satisfaction subscale of the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL), version 5, and questions are scored on a scale of 1 to 5, and raw scores range between 10 to 50. Higher scores indicate greater compassion satisfaction, representing a more favourable outcome. ProQOL questionnaire, was scored according to the official ProQOL scoring guidelines. The ProQOL is a validated measure with acceptable internal consistency across its subscales, commonly used to assess compassion fatigue and related constructs in healthcare professionals. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were calculated. If appropriate, to explore potential sex differences, statistical comparisons were conducted using both Frequentist and Bayesian approaches, with analyses performed in JASP software.	The questionnaire was completed at a single time point, depending on when the voluntary participant joined the study, post-interview (between the 19th November 2024 and 13th December 2024).
Burnout score (ProQOL)	Self-reported scores on the Burnout subscale of the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL), Version 5 , and questions are scored on a scale of 1 to 5, and raw scores range between 10 to 50. Higher scores indicate higher levels of burnout, representing a less favourable outcome. ProQOL questionnaire, was scored according to the official ProQOL scoring guidelines. The ProQOL is a validated measure with acceptable internal consistency across its subscales, commonly used to assess compassion fatigue and related constructs in healthcare professionals. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were calculated. If appropriate, to explore potential sex differences, statistical comparisons were conducted using both Frequentist and Bayesian approaches, with analyses performed in JASP software.	The questionnaire was completed at a single time point, depending on when the voluntary participant joined the study, post-interview (between the 19th November 2024 and 13th December 2024).
Secondary Traumatic Stress score (ProQOL)	Self-reported scores on the Secondary Traumatic Stress subscale of the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL), Version 5, and questions are scored on a scale of 1 to 5, and raw scores range between 10 to 50. Higher scores indicate greater levels of secondary traumatic stress, representing a less favourable outcome. ProQOL questionnaire, scored according to the official ProQOL scoring guidelines. The ProQOL is a validated measure with acceptable internal consistency across its subscales, commonly used to assess compassion fatigue and related constructs in healthcare professionals. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were calculated. If appropriate, to explore potential sex differences, statistical comparisons were conducted using both Frequentist and Bayesian approaches, with analyses performed in JASP software.	The questionnaire was completed at a single time point, depending on when the voluntary participant joined the study, post-interview (between the 19th November 2024 and 13th December 2024).

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Teesside University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 19, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 17, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): February 17, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 20, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 29, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): May 31, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 4, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 30, 2025
• Last Verified: May 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Burnout; Qualitative Research; Phenomenology; Compassion Fatigue; Secondary Traumatic Stress; Paramedic Students; ProQOL
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Stress, Psychological; Occupational Diseases; Mental Fatigue; Burnout, Psychological; Compassion Fatigue; Occupational Stress; Fatigue
• Other Study ID Numbers: 24118

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No