Burnout and compassion fatigue among hospice caregivers.

Burnout is a word currently used in discussions about the present nursing shortage. Hospice staff, because of their work with the terminally ill, are considered a high-risk group for burnout. Too frequently, the reason behind the decision to leave or take a sabbatical from hospice work is that the staff member reached the limits of his or her capacity to care and "couldn't take it any more." It is, therefore, important to discuss the concept of burnout and how it can affect hospice staff as well as the primary caregivers for hospice patients to ascertain the reasons behind it and take steps to lessen caregiver stress.