Empathy Fatigue in Healthcare Delivery

Healthcare workers have a unique window into humanity and are often exposed to suffering. In this episode, Paul and Amy reflect on the impact of repeated exposure to suffering on healthcare workers’ empathy and compassion. If you’ve ever felt the pressure to be a healthcare hero, but have realized even heroes are human beings with limits, this episode is for you.
Our Hosts:
Amy Pearlman, MSW, LICSW
Amy Pearlman is a quintessential social worker with a strong desire to improve healthcare outcomes. She believes that the best way to support the largest number of people is through engaging the community of providers and allies. She has transitioned between provider and payer settings over the course of her career to develop her clinical skills and maximize her empathy of provider experience, with the mission of aligning perspectives around a shared focus and goal to improve healthcare for individuals and families. Her clinical expertise is in crisis intervention, community based care, and clinical program design. Amy believes that healthcare is strongly tied to the health of care providers and is proud to support the healthcare system in this way.
Paul Deger, MA, LPC, PT
Paul Deger is a mindfulness-based intervention specialist. He has been in the healthcare delivery world for 35 years - first as a physical therapist, then as a licensed professional counselor. Paul has worked in a broad range of healthcare environments - inpatient, outpatient, ER and home-based. He also has served as a trainer for health care providers - covering clinical and self-care topics. Paul has seen - and experienced provider burnout - and has found sustainable ways forward. A life-long learner, he seeks out ways to exemplify being human and professional, accessing head and heart, balancing self-care and caring for others. To learn more about Paul, click here (mindfulnesstrainer.com/) .

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[@AudioTruyenLangQue]

I just love how they explain everything to us so we can understand them , and they make it fun so we don't get bored or distracted ( which happens to me very often) plus they are having fun to which is amazing. So thank you! You're amazing guys!

[@poweredbyplants269]

I love that I have so much empathy but also sometimes I wish I didn't have it so much. I work as an emergency ambulance crew & although empathy is definitely required in my job having too much can be a drain. Most jobs you probably forget things that didn't have a good ending but in my case you never forget & sometimes will affect you for quite a while. My empathy is so much more than most people as in I extend it to all suffering including non human animals & therefore won't pay towards eating animals or their bodily secretions as I know there is suffering involved. It then angers me when I see others even make fun of it & wish everyone else had the same compassion. But at the end of the day I'd rather have a good heart than one that doesn't extend empathy & compassion to all living beings ❤