The Importance of Self-Care

Engaging in ongoing self-care is one of the most important, yet oftentimes overlooked, aspects of human services work. One challengeknown as compassion fatigueaffects helpers and caregivers of all types, and is a critical issue to address given the difficult situations that professionals can be faced with. Another challengeknown as burnoutcan also negatively impact a professionals ability to carry out their duties due to high levels of stress. In this first written assignment, you will read the assigned articles, What is Compassion Fatigue and Burnout Prevention and Recovery, and consider the significance of self-care from multiple perspectives.

Part I: Self-Assessment

To begin, please complete both the Compassion Fatigue Test and the Burnout Self Test
After calculating your results, provide a one-to-two paragraph analysis of where you might need to integrate more self-care into your life and why, or provide a one-to-two paragraph analysis of your own potential vulnerabilities to either burnout or compassion fatigue.
Part II: Factors that Challenge Self-Care

In two pages, discuss factors that adversely impact self-care for professionals in the human services field. The Jackson (2013) article from this weeks Recommended Resources provides some insight into this issue and may be helpful to read. These factors can include compassion fatigue, burnout, stress, high workload, personal concerns, or other pertinent considerations. Discussion of these issues must be supported by Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Resources (e.g., research studies, literature reviews, professional critiques/articles, or professional websites ending in .gov or .org). Watch the Quick n Dirty tutorial if you would like an overview of the research process and/or how to conduct a database search in the Ashford University Library.
Part III: Application of Self-Care Resources

Lastly, in two pages, examine how you would support your own self-care in your role as a human services professional using the following resources:
Supervision (being held accountable by supervisor while being supported in completion of tasks)
Training (workshops, classes, or other methods of learning)
Consultation (seeking professional guidance/advice from mentors and other professionals)
Peer support (support and aid from colleagues/co-workers)
The Importance of Self Care paper

Must be a minimum of four double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Must include a separate title page with the following:
Title of paper
Students name
Course name and number
Instructors name
Date submitted
Must use at least two scholarly and/or credible resources.
The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment.
Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.