Study on the Types and Influencing Factors of Compassion Fatigue Among Psychiatric Nurses Based on Latent Profile Analysis

Objective This study seeks to delineate the potential categories of empathy fatigue among nurses and identify their influencing factors through latent profile analysis. The ultimate goal is to establish a foundation for developing targeted intervention strategies, thereby alleviating the occupational psychological burden on nurses and enhancing their mental health. Methods A convenience sampling approach was employed to recruit 297 clinical psychiatric nurses. Data were collected using the General Information Questionnaire, the Chinese Version of the Empathy Fatigue Scale, the Nurse Stress Scale, the Social Support Scale, and the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire. Latent profile analysis was conducted using the three dimensions of the Empathy Fatigue Scale as observed variables, and Latent Profile Analysis was utilized to examine the factors influencing empathy fatigue among psychiatric nurses. Results Psychiatric nurses can be categorized into three latent profiles concerning empathy fatigue: the mild fatigue-traumatic stress type (18.5%),Moderate Fatigue - Low Burnout Group(63.9%), and the severe fatigue type (17.5%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified several risk factors for empathy fatigue, including advanced age, increased frequency of night shifts, elevated scores on the Nurse Stress Scale, and higher scores on negative coping strategies. Conversely, protective factors comprised higher scores on the Social Support Scale, enhanced positive coping strategies, and greater psychological resilience. Conclusion Psychiatric nurses demonstrate three distinct latent profiles of empathy fatigue, characterized by significant heterogeneity. Nursing managers can develop targeted interventions by considering these influencing factors to mitigate empathy fatigue within the nursing workforce.