Risk and protective factors of secondary traumatic stress in Intensive Care Units: An exploratory study in a hospital in Madrid (Spain)

Abstract Aim To propose a predictive model of secondary traumatic stress (STS). Design A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out. Context The study was conducted in the Intensive Care Units of a hospital in Madrid (Spain). Participants The sample comprised 103 health professionals. Interventions A series of questionnaires were created and completed by the participants. Network analysis and multiple regression was used for data analysis. Variables of interest Sociodemographic variables such as gender, years of experience and position, STS, passion for work, work stressors, emotional effort, empathy and self-compassion were evaluated. Results The result identified the following: a) years of experience as a risk factor for compassion fatigue (β = 0.224 and P = 0.029), and harmonious passion as a protector (β = −0.363 and P = 0.001); b) emotional effort and empathy as risk factors for shattered assumptions (β = 0.304 and P = 0.004; β = 0.394 and P = 0.000, respectively); and c), work stressors and empathy as risk factors for symptomatology (β = 0.189 and P = 0.039; β = 0.395 and P = 0.000, respectively), and years of experience as a protector (β = −0.266 and P = 0.002). Conclusions This predictive model of STS identifies protective factors which could be reinforced, such as harmonious passion, and risk factors which should be reduced, such as empathy and emotional effort, with a view to promoting quality of care and quality of life among these professionals.