Look Back
I am going to talk about the time I worked in a hospital, in the oncology department, and helped engage with patients and inquire about their needs. As a trainee, this moment was educative for me, as I got to understand the emotional needs that are beyond the physical needs we always think of when patients are in the hospital. One experience I remember involved a patient who had been diagnosed with cancer and was worried as it was rapidly progressing, plus these new changes with treatment overwhelming her.
Elaborate and Describe
The patient seemed to be in emotional distress as her husband sat by her bedside holding her hand, offering silent reassurance and support, which was comforting to some extent. As part of my nursing duties, I introduced myself and explained to her that I would be helping her occasionally, especially with any needs they may have during their hospital stay. I stayed close to the patient and encouraged them to keep fighting because I could only imagine her pain and not understand. I also told her that I believed she was a fighter and assured her she would make a recovery.
I had the opportunity to witness various aspects of Mrs. Smith’s cancer treatment journey throughout the day, like chemotherapy medications and education from the nurse. Through this scenario, I realized that witnessing patients’ emotional journey, i.e., the emotional rollercoaster the patient experienced as her demeanour shifted to appear visibly anxious and uncomfortable and experiencing nausea and fatigue after medication administration, helps me understand how I can support them emotionally and even spiritually. Therefore, this scenario turned out as expected because I understand patients have emotional needs that must be catered to.
Analyze
The key issues in this scenario are catering to patients’ emotional needs and the nurse’s competence in providing emotional support to the patient. While witnessing the emotional rollercoaster throughout the day, I could only imagine the patient’s pain and seek interventions that would enhance comfort and reduce her pain while they stayed. Therefore, imagining the patient’s pain and acknowledging it was possible because of my compassion and empathy as a nurse and person (Sinclair et al., 2017). Besides, I consider CNO’s (2019a) provision on establishing a therapeutic relationship based on empathy, where you express understanding, validation, and resonation with the patient’s healthcare experience.
When I first met the patient, I introduced myself, which implies in my practice because CNO (2019b) describes the “communicator” competence as the strategies that help create and maintain professional relationships. This competence requires that nurses introduce themselves to clients by name, title, and why they are there before the patient. Therefore, my actions during this experience aligned with the practice standards we are expected to consider when engaging with patients.
In general, this experience went as it did because patients with chronic illnesses have emotional needs, which are supposed to be prioritized along with pharmacological interventions (Bradshaw et al., 2022). At the same time, living with a chronic disease can lead to a range of psychological responses, including anxiety, depression, stress, grief, and fear, as Bradshaw et al. (2022) discuss. Therefore, patients may experience emotional distress related to the uncertainty of their condition, concerns about the future, and the impact of their illness on their daily life and relationship with loved ones, which nurses ought to understand. Given the latter statement, we have a duty to ensure the patient’s emotional needs are addressed while they are under our care and perhaps contribute to their coping strategies.
Revise Approach
The important part of this experience is understanding how we can contribute to the quality of life for patients in emotional distress due to their illness. If I were to change various aspects of this scenario, I would go for more open communication and personalized care, which I believe assures the patient that we wish for their recovery and that their emotions are validated. It is in environments like these, i.e., where there is communication, empathy, and compassion, that the therapeutic relationship grows to involve the patient fully in their treatment journey. I intend to preserve my “communicator” competence because it sets the ground for building trusting, compassionate, and therapeutic relationships.
New Perspective (Trial)
The most significant part of this experience is being able to relate it to learning through the reflective process. Therefore, I will incorporate this experience into my new practice through reflective practice, where I can link clinical experiences with theoretical knowledge. I have managed to put my thoughts, feelings, and reactions through professional application of nursing competencies, which is important to the learning process. Suppose a situation arises where the patient is from a rich cultural background. In that case, I will use my communication competence to address their emotional needs, then consult how I can use my other competencies related to advocacy and professionalism to enhance their stay.
In conclusion, by prioritizing patients’ emotional well-being and preferences, we can successfully practice active listening, empathy, and compassion when interacting with them and involve them in decision-making regarding their emotional support needs.
References
Bradshaw, J., Siddiqui, N., Greenfield, D., & Sharma, A. (2022). Kindness, listening, and connection: patient and clinician key requirements for emotional support in chronic and complex care. Journal of Patient Experience, 9, 23743735221092627. https://doi.org/10.1177/23743735221092627
CNO. (2019a). Entry-To-Practice Competencies for Registered Nurses. The Standard of Care. https://www.cno.org/globalassets/docs/reg/41037-entry-to-practice-competencies-2020.pdf
CNO. (2019b). Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship, Revised 2006. CNO Practice Standard. https://www.cno.org/globalassets/docs/prac/41033_therapeutic.pdf
Sinclair, S., Beamer, K., Hack, T. F., McClement, S., Raffin Bouchal, S., Chochinov, H. M., & Hagen, N. A. (2017). Sympathy, empathy, and compassion: A grounded theory study of palliative care patients’ understandings, experiences, and preferences. Palliative medicine, 31(5), 437–447. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269216316663499
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