A Cross-Sectional Study on Healthcare Providers’ Perceived Compassion and Emotional Exhaustion Across Five Acute Geriatric Units: The Importance of Mutual Respect and Open Reflection.

Piers, R., Hanssens, J., De Vos, J., Cobbaert, K., Pattyn, I., Van Puyvelde, K., Vandervennet, B., Gelders, J., Brys, A., Velghe, A., Van Den Noortgate, N., Sinclair, S., & Boven, C. (2026). A Cross-Sectional Study on Healthcare Providers’ Perceived Compassion and Emotional Exhaustion Across Five Acute Geriatric Units: The Importance of Mutual Respect and Open Reflection. Healthcare, 14(12), 1752. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14121752

Background/Objectives: Despite growing evidence on the importance of compassionate care, it receives little attention in geriatrics literature. The aim is to study the variation and key components of team compassionate care and its relation to individual healthcare provider (HCP) emotional exhaustion in acute geriatric units (AGUs). 

Methods: A cross-sectional survey study, from February to April 2025, with a convenience sample of HCPs in five Belgian AGUs (70% response rate). Validated questionnaires were used: The Sinclair Compassion Questionnaire (SCQ), Emotional Exhaustion (EE) subscale of Maslach Burnout Inventory and Ethical Decision-Making Climate Questionnaire (EDMCQ). 

Results: In total, 118 HCPs participated: 11% team leaders, 28% paramedics, 61% nursing professionals. Mean AGU SCQ scores ranged from 3.62 to 4.28 on a scale from one (lowest) to five (highest). Multivariate linear regression models showed significant differences in team compassion scores across AGUs (estimate 0.084, p = 0.003) and increased with higher ethical climate scores (estimate per point on the EDMCQ 0.035, p < 0.001). Two EDMCQ domains (open interprofessional reflection and mutual respect) were associated with team compassionate care beyond the effect of AGUs, whereas demographics and self-reported emotional exhaustion were not (R2 = 0.283). Emotional exhaustion was significantly associated with professional role (estimate -3.004, p = 0.011), but not with AGUs (estimate 0.768, p = 0.269), ethical climate (estimate per point on the EDMCQ -0.248, p = 0.117) and team-based compassion scores (R2 = 0.115). Nursing professionals were significantly at higher risk for emotional exhaustion compared to paramedics (estimate 4.497, p = 0.037). 

Conclusions: The level of team compassionate care differed across AGUs and was correlated to the perceived ethical climate of the workplace, and not to individual HCP demographic variables or emotional exhaustion. Mutual respect and open interprofessional reflection may be specific areas for future research in improving high-quality compassionate care. Keywords: acute hospital; aged 80 and over; burnout; compassion; compassionate care; empathy; ethical decision-making; geriatrics; interprofessional collaboration; patient-centered care.