Explanation of Concepts
Concepts in nursing are the practical or theoretical underpinnings that have been recognized through in-depth study or investigation. On the other hand, concept analysis states to dichotomizing a nursing theory into smaller components to examine and define each component so that nursing professionals can understand it. Compassion is a nursing concept that I would like to investigate. Since it is the foundation of nursing care, Compassion is crucial. A compassionate nurse also pays attention to the patient’s needs, care, and issues while assisting them in achieving their desired and favorable health outcomes.
Attributes of Compassion
Compassion entails having empathy or genuine concern for patients and a willingness to take action to meet the patient’s needs. The aspects of Compassion in this view include empathy for the emotions and needs of others and also responsiveness to the suffering of patients. This implies that you must engage the feelings and move toward empathy for the pain of others. Understanding another person’s feelings, a positive nurse-patient interaction, and objectivity are three examples of Compassion.
The first step is to build a strong relationship with the patient. For instance, nurses should address patients by name, make eye contact, and project confidence and competence. To ensure they are participating in decision-making, they should explain their actions and review the care plan with them. Safeguarding patient privacy is also essential (Babaei, Taleghani, & Farzi, 2022). Some patients can benefit from touch to show Compassion and care, but nurses must be mindful of each patient’s preferences and personal boundaries. Cultural awareness is also crucial; patient information and handouts should be offered in the patient’s native tongue, and if necessary, an interpretation should be made available. These essential elements support the growth of trust and the development of communication channels. Giving patients care may be joyful and satisfying.
Moreover, still, it can occasionally be physically and mentally exhausting. Nurses provide both patient care and service quality. Maintaining a respectful, professional tone in conversation can be complex. Nonetheless, it can significantly impact a patient’s general health and well-being. Regarding patient feelings, the essential attribute of Compassion is comprehending feelings and providing patient-centered care, employing a holistic approach, and ensuring that the patient is the greatest priority, which helps to meet patient needs. Compassion in nursing transitions a nurse from quality care to outwardly caring through behaviors and actions involving the relationship’s emotional sides.
Antecedent of compassion
Providing holistic patient care is an emerging concept of Compassion in nursing (quality health services to the patient). Within the nursing profession, the goal of delivering holistic care is vital. Giving holistic care to patients is a potent activity that would positively affect the client as a whole, as well as impacting the patient’s soul, mind, cognition, and body and having an impact by transforming the best version of themselves, which supports the concept of Compassion (Straughair, Clarke, & Machin, 2019). Also, Compassion gives your patients the encouragement and trust they need to prepare for a long recovery, confront a scary treatment plan, or resist a dreadful illness.
Consequence of Compassion
One of the outcomes of delivering compassionate nursing care is increased satisfaction with their nursing career and patient services. A sense of satisfaction and efficacy in the personnel and increased confidence in serving the patients and the nurse. Nursing staff who care more about their patients’ comfort and the suffering and horror they endure tend to appreciate their careers more and feel more linked to them. Nursing compassion to patients provides significant self-gratification, but it is essential to avoid compassion fatigue. When caring for patients gets too emotionally draining, you may suffer a combination of bodily, emotional, and behavioral symptoms, physical and mental tiredness, and emotional detachment (Androus, 2018).
Model Case
Mrs. P, a 36-year-old Latina female, was diagnosed with endometriosis and underwent a hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy while I was a nurse. While we talked with the patient, I realized that patient care is more than just taking care of the patient’s physical difficulties. Patients may be subjected to increased stress due to their financial condition, familial ties, or even their physical surroundings.
As a nurse, managing the illness or damage and treating the patient’s mental state is critical. Nurses who are compassionate toward their patients have been shown to reduce rates of depression and stress, enhancing their will to live — which can significantly impact a patient’s healing time and contentment.
Theoretical Application of Concept
Compassion, as a desire to relieve a patient’s pain, is essential for emancipatory nursing practice theory. The term “emancipatory” emphasizes the importance of power relations in pain and their capability to render Compassion difficult. The theory considers the influence of power relationships on social well-being. Compassion and suffering consider more significant social problems like xenophobia and misogyny. The idea tackles both patient and nurse suffering, and it goes beyond the nurse-patient interaction to contextualize community and population pain and Compassion. According to this notion, it is axiomatic for nurses to develop ways to reduce suffering, upsurge compassion, say the unthinkable, teaches moral awareness, and improve communication (Constantinides, 2019).
Reflect
I feel Compassion is essential to quality treatment due to its social and intrinsic relevance for patients. I learned in the research a wide range of theoretical viewpoints on Compassion and compassion-related traits in healthcare; this is how developing a therapeutic relationship with the patient assists in achieving satisfaction. Also, as I reflect on my nursing career and patient contacts, I come across a situation that significantly impacted the patient’s overall health and well-being.
References
Androus, A. B. (2018, October 30). The importance of the nurse-patient relationship for patient care. RN Programs – Start Your Journey as a Registered Nurse. https://www.registerednursing.org/articles/importance-nurse-patient-relationship-care/
Babaei, S., Taleghani, F., & Farzi, S. (2022). Components of Compassionate Care in Nurses Working in the Cardiac Wards: A Descriptive Qualitative Study. Journal of caring sciences, 11(4), 239–245. https://doi.org/10.34172/jcs.2022.24
Constantinides, S. (2019, June 25). Emancipatory theory of Compassion. Neurology. https://nursology.net/nurse-theories/theory-of-emancipatory-compassion-for-nursing/
Straughair, C., Clarke, A., & Machin, A. (2019). A constructivist grounded theory study to explore Compassion through the perceptions of individuals who have experienced nursing care. Journal of advanced nursing, 75(7), 1527–1538.
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