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Delivering compassionate care in intensive care units: nurses' perceptions of enablers and barriers
Author(s) -
Jones Jenny,
Winch Sarah,
Strube Petra,
Mitchell Marion,
Henderson Amanda
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of advanced nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.948
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1365-2648
pISSN - 0309-2402
DOI - 10.1111/jan.13064
Subject(s) - nursing , staffing , compassion , qualitative research , reflexivity , perception , health care , intensive care , psychology , organizational culture , medicine , sociology , public relations , social science , neuroscience , intensive care medicine , political science , law , economics , economic growth
Abstract Background Compassion is core to nursing practice. Nurses' expression of compassion is a complex interaction informed by the nurse, the patient and the practice environment. Aim The aim of this study was to identify personal, professional and organizational factors, intensive care nurses, in a major metropolitan facility in Australia, identified as enabling or disabling them to be compassionate. Design Intensive care nurses ( n = 171) reflected on their experiences during ‘compassion cafés’ conducted in 2015. Method Qualitative, reflexive methods were used to explore ICU nurses' perceptions of enablers and barriers. Nurses documented their perceptions, which were thematically analysed. Meanings were subsequently verified with participants. Results The findings identified multiple factors both inside and outside the workplace that constrained or enabled nurses' ability to be compassionate. Two main factors inside the workplace were culture of the team, in particular, support from colleagues and congruency in work practices and decision‐making, and connections with patients and families. Outside the workplace, nurses were influenced by their values about care and lifestyle factors such as family demands. Conclusions Nurses capacity to be compassionate is a complex interplay between nursing knowledge and expectations, organizational structures and lifestyle factors. Implications The responsibility for ‘compassionate’ care is a shared one. Nurses need to be cognizant of factors that are enabling or inhibiting their ability to be compassionate. Healthcare leaders have a responsibility to provide structural support (staffing, education and space) that assist nurses to deliver compassionate care and where appropriate cater for nurses needs so that they are better able to be compassionate.