Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the degree of secondary trauma and job burnout among medical social workers and nurses so that recommendations could be made with regard to coping strategies and prevention of secondary trauma and job burnout. The Compassion Fatigue Scale by Boscarino, Figley and Adams (2004) was used to measure the subjects' level of secondary trauma and job burnout. Fifteen nurses and fifteen medical social workers from three East Bay hospitals participated in this study. All the study subjects had direct contact with the patients, family of the patients, administration, and co-workers in the hospital in the process of discharging their job responsibilities. The study findings indicate moderate to severe level of secondary trauma and job burnout among both the medical social workers and nurses. Nurses and medical social workers in supportive hospital settings (flexible work schedules, supportive colleagues and administration, and an organized environment) had reduced chances of experiencing job burnout when compared to nurses and medical social workers in non-supportive settings.