The Art of Compassionate Care: Empathy in Nursing

Compassion in healthcare is not a novel concept.

Patients feel their dignity is honored when treatment is delivered with human warmth and sensitivity. They are not burdens, figures, things, things, or foreigners. They are treated with the same respect that we are.

Being compassionate means to be sympathetic or caring about the pain of others and to want to help them. Compassion is different from sympathy, which primarily entails sharing emotions, and empathy, which is the experience of another person's sentiments.

The ability to perceive, be aware of, be sensitive to, and live vicariously through another person's feelings, thoughts, and experience is the definition of EMPATHY.

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characteristics of compassionate care

These definitions of compassion in healthcare are drawn from the Health Foundation's 2014 report, Compassion, Dignity, and Respect in Health Care.

·??????When we can view the world through someone else's eyes, compassion is born.

·??????"Treating patients with dignity, respect, and empathy" is what compassion entails.

·???????I believe it to be especially potent during times of vulnerability, discomfort (physical or psychological), or fear.

·??????It's usually the tiniest things that create the biggest differences, is the recurring theme.

·??????Nowadays, "you hear so many stories of people being treated like numbers."

·??????"Compassion isn't just talking to the patients; it's making them feel safe in a nice, clean environment, where they can feel at home," the doctor once said.

·??????"I believe that the gift of time is the most valuable gift that we can give to each other and to the patients."

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Why Patient Care Must Include Nurse Empathy

Patients who get compassionate treatment display less anxiety, a better sense of themselves, and lower levels of aggression and sadness. Patients feel more comfortable discussing their issues and worries with nurses who are compassionate and better understand their patients' requirements. Empathetic nursing care has improved patient outcomes for conditions ranging from cancer to diabetes. The care of patients suffers when nurses lack empathy. Without empathy, patient care is less effective and may leave those receiving it feeling neglected, frustrated, and uncertain about their course of action.

Empathy helps nurses perform better in the following areas, which are crucial to their patient interactions and the standard of their care:

·??????Developing respect.

·??????Encouraging good deeds and attitudes.

·??????Making moral judgments.

·??????Collecting data about medical history.

·??????Giving medication accurately

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In comparison to other medical professionals, nurses frequently spend more time with patients. In settings ranging from outpatient clinics to psychiatric wards, nurses who are empathic use that time to reassure patients and build relationships. As ICU and postpartum patients, nurses defined empathy in nursing as regular check-ins, calming touches, and soothing words.

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Nursing Empathy: Some Practical Advice

Empathy is a skill that nurses can employ to better serve patients, do their jobs more effectively, and promote patient care. These five essential suggestions can assist nurses in incorporating empathy into their work for the benefit of both patients and them.

·??????Show interest in the lives of patients by paying attention to them.

Nod and respond in a way that shows you comprehend the remarks made by the patients. Ask the patient how their health issues are affecting their lives, and then actively listen, follow up with questions, and demonstrate an interest in their lives outside of their capacity as patients. After attending to any patient issues, avoid multitasking by concentrating entirely on that patient. Patients who feel that nurses are paying attention are more willing to discuss symptoms, queries, and concerns, which results in more effective treatment and more satisfaction.

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·??????Be considerate and respectful.

Be considerate and give the patient the best possible support for their condition. Put aside your own preconceptions and prejudices and endeavor to ensure that everyone has access to high-quality care.

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Remember that many patients find it awkward to discuss personal health matters. Develop a sense of trust and comfort that permits honest communication. When helping a challenging patient, take a moment to reflect on how crucial compassion is at the nursing profession's highest levels.

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·??????Increasing cultural awareness and competence

Understanding and respecting a patient's ethnicity, color, religion, sexual orientation, geographic origin, and social group can improve care in a variety of ways, from addressing patients' preferred pronouns for transgender and gender nonconforming patients to acknowledging their religious beliefs in relation to therapy. Nurses can offer the most compassionate and efficient care by respecting a patient's beliefs, requirements, and uniqueness.

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Learn about various patient populations, expose oneself to other cultures, engage in new experiences, and foster contacts with people from various backgrounds to become more culturally competent. Nurses that are eager to learn can fill in the gaps in patient care and customize it.

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·??????Apply Self-Care Techniques

To care for others, one must first take care of oneself, whether those entails spending time alone, exercising, or being in nature.

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The definition of compassion according to the healthcare industry is "the recognition, understanding, and emotional resonance with another's concerns, distress, pain, or suffering, coupled with relational action to ameliorate these states" (Lown, 2016).?In a nutshell, compassion is feeling empathy or genuine care for patients and wanting to act to meet their needs.