Contributions from Christian ethics and Buddhist philosophy to the management of compassion fatigue in nurses.
Nursing & health sciences March 1, 2016 Neil Pembroke 20 citations
Insights from Christian ethics and Buddhist philosophy can help manage compassion fatigue. The Christian principle of "equal regard"—the idea that universal love requires loving others no more or less than oneself—counters the self-sacrifice that often leads nurses to deprioritize self-care. The Buddhist principle of compassion with equanimity involves opening to others' pain while maintaining calmness, allowing nurses to face suffering without depleting their compassion. The article argues that adopting these attitudinal and ethical approaches offers a philosophical foundation beyond existing self-care guidelines.