MCCCD Program Description

Professional Resiliency and Compassion Fatigue Prevention

Course: BHS155

First Term: 2019 Spring

Lecture 1.0 Credit(s) 1.0 Period(s) 1.0 Load
Subject Type: Occupational
Load Formula: S- Standard

Description: Introduction to professional resilience and compassion fatigue prevention for social services and mental health professionals, healthcare providers and emergency first responders. Causes, symptoms, and effects of work-related stress disorders and techniques that help professionals mitigate potential harmful effects.

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Recognize the historical developments that gave rise to the concept of compassion fatigue. (I) 2. Identify common etiologies for compassion fatigue and burnout.(II) 3. Identify the potential symptoms and physical and emotional effects associated with compassion fatigue and burnout. (II) 4. Describe the process of secondary traumatic stress and the typical pattern of symptom development observed in traumatized individuals. (II) 5. Explain the relationships between professional maturation and the development of compassion fatigue. (II) 6. Identify commonly used compassion fatigue assessment instruments for self and others. (II) 7. Explain the role of perceived threat and sympathetic nervous system dominance in the generation of compassion fatigue symptoms. (II) 8. Create personal and professional historical narratives explaining the negative effects experienced in caregiving. (III) 9. Identify key components of a five (5)-point system for the prevention of workplace-related stress, secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue and burnout. (IV) 10. Explain the role of self-regulation on the amelioration of current effects and the prevention of future effects of compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, burnout symptoms. (IV) 11. Utilize key skills to resolve current symptoms and prevent future effects associated with secondary traumatic stress. (IV) 12. Identify methods to resolve current and prevent future effects of burnout in the professional caregiving context. (IV) 13. Identify the role of intentionality and principle-based caregiving as a method for symptom amelioration and resiliency. (IV) 14. Utilize skilled self-applications of cognitive behavioral tools to prevent burnout. (IV) 15. Design a five-point self-directed professional resiliency plan. (V)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Historical development A. Identification of contributing experiences 1. Burnout research 2. Vicarious trauma 3. Compassion fatigue B. Significant investigators 1. Yael Danielli 2. Beth Stamm 3. Charles Figley 4. Others C. Inclusion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) II. Etiology and symptoms A. Work-related stress in healthcare and social services 1. Primary traumatic stress 2. Secondary traumatic stress 3. Inadequate professional maturation 4. Compassion fatigue 5. Burnout B. Symptoms 1. Spectrum of emotional and behavioral presentations 2. Assessment/diagnostic instruments 3. Negative impacts on health and quality of life C. Physiology of symptoms in response to perceived threat 1. Role of brain - cortical regions, amygdala, anterior cingulate 2. Importance of autonomic nervous system 3. Sympathetic nervous system dominance III. Techniques for addressing symptoms A. Personal/professional narrative B. Cognitive behavioral skills C. Understanding importance of awareness and perception D. Developing resources for self-management IV. Five point resiliency system to manage workplace-related stress, traumatic stress, burnout and compassion fatigue A. Self-regulation B. Intentionality in practice 1. Principles-based caregiving 2. Internal locus of control 3. Shift from reaction to intention 4. Personal mission statement C. Perceptual maturation 1. Improving perceptual awareness 2. Cognitive reconstructing 3. Understanding multicultural identities and workplace challenges D. Connection and support E. Self-care and revitalization V. Developing personal professional resiliency plan

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: June 26, 2018

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.