Skip to main content
 

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Editor's Commentary
    • Coming Next Month
    • Archives
    • Most-Read Papers of 2021
  • Authors
    • Author Guidelines
    • Submit a Manuscript
  • Reviewers
    • Reviewer Information
    • Create Reviewer Account
    • Reviewer Guidelines: Original Research
    • Reviewer Guidelines: Reviews
    • Appreciation of Reviewers
  • CRCE
    • Through the Journal
    • JournalCasts
    • AARC University
    • PowerPoint Template
  • Open Forum
    • 2022 Call for Abstracts
    • 2021 Abstracts
    • Previous Open Forums
  • Podcast
    • English
    • Español
    • Portugûes
    • 国语
  • Videos
    • Video Abstracts
    • Author Interviews
    • Highlighted Articles
    • The Journal

User menu

  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in

Search

  • Advanced search
American Association for Respiratory Care
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
American Association for Respiratory Care

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Editor's Commentary
    • Coming Next Month
    • Archives
    • Most-Read Papers of 2021
  • Authors
    • Author Guidelines
    • Submit a Manuscript
  • Reviewers
    • Reviewer Information
    • Create Reviewer Account
    • Reviewer Guidelines: Original Research
    • Reviewer Guidelines: Reviews
    • Appreciation of Reviewers
  • CRCE
    • Through the Journal
    • JournalCasts
    • AARC University
    • PowerPoint Template
  • Open Forum
    • 2022 Call for Abstracts
    • 2021 Abstracts
    • Previous Open Forums
  • Podcast
    • English
    • Español
    • Portugûes
    • 国语
  • Videos
    • Video Abstracts
    • Author Interviews
    • Highlighted Articles
    • The Journal
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
Meeting ReportManagement

Impact of Personal, Job Related, and Organizational Factors on Respiratory Therapists' Professional Quality of Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Anna M Spirczak, Ramandeep Kaur and David Vines
Respiratory Care October 2021, 66 (Suppl 10) 3604140;
Anna M Spirczak
Respiratory Care, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Ramandeep Kaur
Respiratory Care, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
David Vines
Respiratory Care, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • References
  • Info & Metrics
Loading

Abstract

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, respiratory therapists (RTs) were faced with many unpredicted challenges and exposed to higher levels of stress, including risk for their own safety while managing critically ill patients with COVID-19. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue among RTs in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This was a cross sectional, descriptive, survey-based study conducted from July 2020- August 2020. A survey was administered to all active members of the American Association of Respiratory Care (AARC) via AARConnect. RT characteristics including personal factors, job specific factors and organization factors were collected. Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL Version V) was used to assess compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress (STS). The survey results were analyzed using descriptive, Chi-square and Kruskal Wallis statistics.

Results: A total 218 participants fully completed the survey, 142 (65.1%) were females and 39 (17.9%) were < 34 y old, 107 (49%) were 35–54 y old, and 72 (33%) were > 55 y old. Work experience was >12 y for 144 (66%) RTs. Burnout score was low in 90 (41.3%), moderate in 127 (58.3%), and high in 1 (0.5%) RTs. Secondary traumatic stress (STS) was low in 106 (48.6%) and moderate in 112 (51.4%) RTs. Compassion satisfaction was low in 2 (0.9%), moderate in 123 (56.4%) and high in 93 (42.7%) RTs. Higher burnout was found among RTs with <2 years of experience (P = .001), and lower salary (P = .001). Higher STS level was noted in younger RTs (P = .001), females (P = .001), and RTs with a lower education (P = 0.008). Higher compassion satisfaction was found in RTs that work days (P = 0.005), work overtime (P = 0.006), leadership (P = 0.004) or education/research roles (P = 0.001), those that work in departments where they receive help in managing burnout and stress (P < .001) and overall promote positive work environment where employees feel appreciated (P = .001).

Conclusions: The study identified various factors associated with increased compassion satisfaction such as working daytime shifts, overtime, advanced roles, and departmental environment. Factors associated with compassion fatigue were less job experience, lower salary, female sex, and education level. This knowledge may help guide future strategies and interventions to improve respiratory therapists’ professional quality of life.

Footnotes

  • Commercial Relationships: None

  • Copyright © 2021 by Daedalus Enterprises
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Respiratory Care
Vol. 66, Issue Suppl 10
1 Oct 2021
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author

 

Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on American Association for Respiratory Care.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Impact of Personal, Job Related, and Organizational Factors on Respiratory Therapists' Professional Quality of Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic
(Your Name) has sent you a message from American Association for Respiratory Care
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the American Association for Respiratory Care web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
Impact of Personal, Job Related, and Organizational Factors on Respiratory Therapists' Professional Quality of Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Anna M Spirczak, Ramandeep Kaur, David Vines
Respiratory Care Oct 2021, 66 (Suppl 10) 3604140;

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero

Share
Impact of Personal, Job Related, and Organizational Factors on Respiratory Therapists' Professional Quality of Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Anna M Spirczak, Ramandeep Kaur, David Vines
Respiratory Care Oct 2021, 66 (Suppl 10) 3604140;
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • References

Related Articles

Cited By...

Info For

  • Subscribers
  • Institutions
  • Advertisers

About Us

  • About the Journal
  • Editorial Board
  • Reprints/Permissions

AARC

  • Membership
  • Meetings
  • Clinical Practice Guidelines

More

  • Contact Us
  • RSS
American Association for Respiratory Care

Print ISSN: 0020-1324        Online ISSN: 1943-3654

© Daedalus Enterprises, Inc.

Powered by HighWire