Compassion Fatigue in Healthcare: Burnout, Trauma & Losing Your Spark

Send us Fan MailWhat happens when caring for others starts to quietly wear you down?In this episode of Banter at the Bedside, the Shift Talkers sit down again with trauma and emergency medicine chaplain Linda Moore to talk about compassion fatigue in healthcare — what it is, how it differs from burnout, and why so many healthcare workers are feeling emotionally exhausted after years of repeated trauma exposure. The conversation dives into the emotional weight healthcare workers carry, the cases that stay with us, the physical signs we ignore, and the importance of checking in on coworkers before they lose their “spark.” The team also discusses boundaries, mindfulness, wellness culture in hospitals, and why organizational support matters just as much as self-care. From ICU stories and difficult patient outcomes to dark humor and honest reflection, this episode is a raw and relatable conversation about surviving healthcare without losing yourself in it.If you’ve ever felt emotionally numb, exhausted, irritable, disconnected, or like you’re just “running on empty,” this episode is for you.