It represents the cost of caring about and for traumatized people. Compassion Fatigue is the emotional residue of exposure to working with the suffering, particularly those suffering from the consequences of traumatic events. Professionals who work with people, particularly people who are suffering, must contend with not only the normal stress or dissatisfaction of work, but also with the emotional and personal feelings for the suffering. Compassion Fatigue is very different. It can be thought of as secondary post-traumatic stress.
Job performance goes down, mistakes go up.