Mental health work can potentially have positive and/or negative effects on professionals. Positive effects include the mental health worker feeling positive about being able to help, an experience referred to as compassion satisfaction (Stamm, 2010). They are also at risk of experiencing emotional exhaustion or burnout, symptoms of compassion fatigue (Stamm, 2010). In addition, rural mental health workers may face stressors of professional isolation, work overload and ethical dilemmas unique to their setting (Devine, 2006).

This research aims to examine the experiences of mental health care workers in rural and regional practice in Australia in order to understand their degree of compassion satisfaction and fatigue and to identify factors that may promote greater meaning and satisfaction from the challenges they face.

If you are interested in participating, please access the survey by clicking the link below or copying it into your browser. The questionnaire will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. This study is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time. Confidentiality is assured.

http://www.surveymethods.com/EndUser.aspx?DBFF938ADE908A89DC

This research is being conducted by Dr Christina Samios and Stacey Thomas from the Department of Psychology at Bond University. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Stacey Thomas at stacey.thomas@student.bond.edu.au.
Data collection will occur from the 10/5/2013 until the 30/12/2013.