The idea of compassion is essential to nursing practice, and it is regarded as the cornerstone of the industry’s ethical standards. In their daily work, nurses everywhere deal with moral dilemmas involving compassion. As a result, the concept can be seen as an integral part of nursing. However, because of its complicated and abstract character, research is required to examine the meaning of compassionate nursing care and how it might be attained.
The study of compassionate care has benefited from the efforts of certain researchers. In particular, a recent study by Tehranineshat et al. (2018) sought to define compassionate nursing care based on patients’ and healthcare providers’ experiences. Its research questions were “What are the experiences of nurses, patients, and family caregivers about compassionate nursing care?” and “How do nurses, patients, and family caregivers describe compassionate nursing care?” (Tehranineshat et al., 2018, p. 1708). Answering these questions would help the authors better understand the nature of compassionate care and the attitudes of nursing professionals.
The subject of the study entailed a complex approach by the authors. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted using data collected from in-depth and semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, and field notes from 34 participants selected from several educational hospitals in an Iranian urban area (Tehranineshat et al., 2018). Three themes were identified from the study of the data using the traditional content analysis method: “effective engagement”, “professionalism”, and “continuous comprehensive care” (Tehranineshat et al., 2018, p. 1712). Based on the analysis of the themes, the authors attempted to answer the initial research questions and discern the nature of compassionate care.
The study’s findings indicate that providing patients and family caregivers with compassionate nursing care requires efficient communication in order to fully comprehend their requirements. According to the categories found, sustaining professional ethics standards, clinical competency, professionalism, and continuity of treatment are also essential components of compassionate care (Tehranineshat et al., 2018). The findings that emerged from this study are consistent with recent nursing literature that emphasizes the value of holistic care.
In conclusion, nurses should make a conscious effort to provide their patients with holistic care that incorporates good communication, professionalism, and continuity of care. Nurses can offer improved compassionate care and enhance patient outcomes and satisfaction by being aware of the needs of patients and their families. For this reason, it is essential that nurses intentionally focus on providing compassionate care.
Tehranineshat, B., Rakhshan, M., Torabizadeh, C., & Fararouei, M. (2018). Nurses’, patients’, and family caregivers’ perceptions of compassionate nursing care. Nursing Ethics, 26(6), 1707–1720. Web.
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