Background: Compassion fatigue poses significant challenges to nurses’ well-being and the quality of patient care, particularly in high-demand, low-resource settings. The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model emphasizes the influence of workplace conditions on employee outcomes; however, the mechanisms linking these factors to compassion fatigue remain underexplored. This study examines how job demands and resources affect compassion fatigue, with self-compassion, resilient coping, and compassion satisfaction as mediators.
Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 493 nurses recruited from three public hospitals in the Klang Valley. Data were collected via an online survey form comprising sociodemographic information and validated Malay versions of the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL-M), Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ-M), Self-Compassion Scale (SCS-M), and Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS-M). Data analysis included descriptive statistics, partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), and Importance-Performance Map Analysis (IPMA) using SmartPLS version 4.0.8.5.
Results: Structural equation modelling revealed that job demands significantly increased compassion fatigue (β=0.496, P<0.001), while job resources had no direct effect (β=0.003, P=0.95). Self-compassion mediated the effects of job demands (β=0.057, P=0.02) and job resources (β=−0.024, P=0.03) on compassion fatigue. Compassion satisfaction mediated the effect of job resources on compassion fatigue (β=−0.050, P<0.001), and serial mediation via self-compassion and compassion satisfaction was also significant (β=−0.009, P=0.01). The serial mediation effect from job resources through resilient coping and compassion satisfaction was significant (β=0.018, P=0.001), indicating indirect protective effects.
Conclusions: The study reveals that personal and professional resources significantly buffer the impact of job demands on compassion fatigue among nurses. These findings provide evidence for policymakers to develop targeted interventions that enhance self- compassion, resilient coping, and compassion satisfaction. Embedding these elements into workforce policies can reduce compassion fatigue, enhance nurse well-being, and reinforce the healthcare system’s ability to deliver sustainable, high-quality care.
