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EditorialResearch

Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue, and Burnout among Dental Hygienists in the United States

Amanda Knutt, Linda D. Boyd, Jaymi-Lyn Adams and Jared Vineyard
American Dental Hygienists' Association February 2022, 96 (1) 34-42;
Amanda Knutt
Graduate of the master’s degree program
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Linda D. Boyd
Professor and the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies
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  • For correspondence: linda.boyd@mcphs.edu
Jaymi-Lyn Adams
Assistant professor
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Jared Vineyard
Member of the adjunct faculty; all in the Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene, MCPHS University, Boston, MA, USA.
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Abstract

Purpose: Compassion satisfaction allows for dental hygienists (DH) to grow professionally, but compassion fatigue can lead to burnout. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between compassion satisfaction (CS), compassion fatigue (CF), burnout (BO), to demographics and work characteristics, including thoughts of leaving the profession, among clinical DHs in the United States.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey research design was used with a non-probability sampling of clinical DHs (n=553) recruited via social media. Data collection consisted of demographics, work characteristics and the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQoL) (version 5). Descriptive, correlation, and logistic regression analyses were used to assess the relationships among variables. Thematic analysis was conducted for the open-ended question.

Results: The survey completion rate was 99% (n=527). The mean number of hours worked and number of days per week was 30.6 and 3.8 respectively and, on average, participants had worked 19.3 years in clinical practice. Approximately 70% of respondents indicated thinking about leaving the profession in the next five years. Participants with thoughts about leaving the field had a lower CS score (p<0.001), higher BO score (p<0.001), and higher CF (p<0.001) compared to those who had not thought about leaving the field. Age and years of experience positively correlated to CS and day per week worked negatively correlated to CF (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Compassion satisfaction appears to impact burnout and thoughts of leaving the dental hygiene profession. Findings suggest the need for further research to identify ways to prevent burnout and improve retention in the profession.

  • Compassion satisfaction
  • compassion fatigue
  • burnout
  • dental hygienists
  • career satisfaction
  • Received November 19, 2021.
  • Accepted June 29, 2021.
  • Copyright © 2022 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association
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American Dental Hygienists' Association: 96 (1)
American Dental Hygienists' Association
Vol. 96, Issue 1
February 2022
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Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue, and Burnout among Dental Hygienists in the United States
Amanda Knutt, Linda D. Boyd, Jaymi-Lyn Adams, Jared Vineyard
American Dental Hygienists' Association Feb 2022, 96 (1) 34-42;

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Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue, and Burnout among Dental Hygienists in the United States
Amanda Knutt, Linda D. Boyd, Jaymi-Lyn Adams, Jared Vineyard
American Dental Hygienists' Association Feb 2022, 96 (1) 34-42;
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Keywords

  • Compassion satisfaction
  • compassion fatigue
  • burnout
  • dental hygienists
  • career satisfaction

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ISSN #: 1553-0205

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