Abstract
Intensive care providers who care for traumatized populations often face multiple traumas for extended periods and are vulnerable to developing lasting symptoms of compassion fatigue and secondary traumatization. Symptoms are often not recognizable until compassion fatigue or secondary traumatization negatively affects the providers' ability to care for their patients. More attention needs to be given to the care of the provider to ensure high-quality patient care, decrease turnover in the profession, and increase productivity. This article provides a framework for the development of an educational module for healthcare providers' self-care. This educational module created the opportunity to share with providers (a) how to explore their own professional experience; (b) how to recognize the different symptoms of compassion fatigue, primary traumatization, and secondary traumatization; (c) factors related to grief reactions; and (d) personal and professional strategies to decrease compassion fatigue and secondary traumatization.