Compassion Fatigue in Healthcare Professionals during COVID-19: Scoping Review Protocol

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to the healthcare system. With the sudden increase in workload, under-resourced facilities, and evolving healthcare practices, healthcare professionals are faced with a great psychological burden. Compassion is a crucial component to providing safe and quality care. However, the effects of the prolonged exposure to high-stress environments during COVID-19 on compassion fatigue remains understudied. This scoping literature review was conducted with the goal of answering two questions: (1) What research has been undertaken on compassion fatigue among healthcare providers over the course of COVID-19, and, (2) how did compassion fatigue among healthcare providers impact patient care. A five-stage framework for conducting scoping review was modified from Arksey and O\u27Malley as well as the Joanna Briggs Institute. A PRISMA flowchart was used to illustrate the process of study selection. This scoping review protocol will inform next steps in investigating the research questions