CCiN W1L1

Caring Communication in Nursing

  • Lecture 1: Compassionate care in nursing

    • Presenter: Joanne Blair

Aim

  • Understand the central role of compassionate care in nursing.

Learning Outcomes

  • Define the concepts of caring and compassion.

  • Understand the components of compassionate care.

  • Recognize the relevance of the 6 Cs to nursing practice.

  • Discuss the impact of a non-caring culture.

  • Explore barriers to compassionate care.

  • Acknowledge the cost of caring.

What is Care?

  • Complex phenomenon:

    • Care is challenging to define or conceptualize (Adams, 2016; Karlou et al., 2015; Papastavrou et al., 2011).

    • Care can be a noun, an adjective, a verb, and an adverb!

Care in Nursing

  • Quotation: "What is nursing if it is not the provision of one human being caring for another?" (Freshwater and Stickley, 2004, p. 94)

  • Described as the ‘essence’ or the ‘heart’ of nursing (Christopher and Hedegus, 2000; Papastavrou et al., 2011).

NMC Code of Conduct (2018) and Care

  • Key Principles:

    • Prioritize patient interests.

    • Ensure care and safety are main concerns.

    • Preserve dignity and recognize patient needs.

    • Treat patients with respect; uphold rights.

    • Challenge discriminatory attitudes and behaviors.

  • Care is mentioned 72 times in the NMC Code of Conduct.

What Does Caring Involve?

  • Discussion on the various aspects and actions involved in caring.

Caring Attributes of Nursing Students (Cook et al., 2018)

  • Students' development of caring attributes throughout their nursing program.

  • Most caring actions perceived:

    • Assisting with daily activities.

    • Listening to patients.

    • Involving patients in their care.

What is Compassion?

  • Definition: "Compassion comes from the Latin 'compassio,' meaning 'to suffer together'“ (Perez-Bret et al., 2016, p. 601).

  • Multifaceted concept often used interchangeably with care (Costello & Barron, 2017).

  • "Compassion is the essence of caring" (Chambers and Ryder, 2009, p. 2).

Qualities of a Compassionate Nurse (Durkin et al., 2018)

  • Emotional strength.

  • Professional competence.

  • Knowing and spending time with patients.

  • Empathy.

  • Effective communication and body language.

  • Patient-centered approach.

Culturally Competent Compassion

  • Understanding the suffering of others and executing culturally appropriate interventions (Papadopoulos, 2011).

NMC Code of Conduct (2018) Compassion

  • Ethical mandates:

    • "Treat people with kindness, respect, and compassion" (p. 6).

    • Recognize and respond to anxiety or distress (p. 7).

    • Address the needs of individuals in their final days/hours (p. 7).

    • Delegate tasks while ensuring adequate supervision for safe compassionate care (p. 12).

Consequences of Care Failure (Francis Report 2013)

  • Findings from inquiry into Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust.

  • Highlighted poor standards in nursing care, lack of compassion, and inhumane treatment of vulnerable patients (Straughair, 2012a, p. 162).

Winterbourne View (2011)

  • Severe abuse of adults with learning disabilities.

  • Whistleblower allegations ignored; care systems failed.

  • Basic health needs unmet; identified failures across multiple agencies.

Muckamore Abbey (2017)

  • Inquiry established to examine abuse in Muckamore Abbey Hospital, focusing on the reasons and circumstances allowing for abuse.

Discussion: Obstacles to Compassionate Care

  • An open discussion on the potential barriers to providing compassionate care.

Cost of Caring

  • Recognizes that both patient and nurse have needs in the caring process (Summer and Fisher, 2008).

  • Concepts capturing the ‘cost’ of caring:

    • Burnout

    • Compassion fatigue

    • Vicarious traumatization

  • Firth-Cozens and Cornwell (2009): Stress and burnout hinder compassionate care, leading to depersonalization.

Vicarious Trauma

  • Engaging empathically with trauma can lead to vicarious trauma in caregivers.

  • Recognition needed at individual, organizational, and social levels.

  • Systemic supports vital for coping mechanisms, self-care, and clinical supervision (Isobel and Thomas, 2021).

Balancing Caring Costs

  • Suggestions for maintaining balance:

    • Work/life balance.

    • Encourage physical activity, proper diet, and exercise.

    • Support networks among colleagues.

    • Self-care practices and counseling.

    • Employee wellness programs.

    • Educational interventions for coping and emotional self-care.

    • Foster personal qualities like resiliency in healthcare providers.

Summary

  • Caring as the core of nursing practice.

  • Acts through which nurses assist patients in coping with suffering, promoting wellness, and ensuring dignified death.

  • Caring nurtures growth, health, and recovery for the vulnerable and empowers those receiving care.

  • Generating a framework for implementing professional practice.

  • Importance of self-care among nurses to sustain compassion.

Reflection Quote

  • Quote by Maya Angelou: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

References

  • Comprehensive list of references cited during the lectures on caring and compassion.