Why Compassion Is Important in Nursing? 3 Huge Reasons

There’s no denying that nursing is one of the most stressful professions in the labor world.

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While it is taxing on the physical aspect of the job, it’s more so on the emotional side of things. There’s a lot of dynamic control needed to become a successful nurse, and it takes so much strength to pull off the job given to a nurse.

So today, you’re going to find out why compassion is important in nursing and how you become more compassionate when working as a nurse.

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Table of Contents

Why is compassion important in nursing?

Nurses are stationed in hospitals and clinics to work on intricate technology and assist doctors in medical work.

Unfortunately, the medical aspect of the job means that nurses will be dealing with hurt patients more often than not.

The morbid fact is that nurses are dealing with patients who might one day pass away, and they need to address this as an absolute fact and not get too attached to the patients as it may hurt their psyche.

While it’s helpful not to get too attached to patients, especially those with terminal diseases, it’s also important to be sensitive and show compassion towards the patients dealing with so many things already.

See also: Can Nurses Date Patients?

Understanding the patients’ situation is a step closer to becoming more compassionate because a nurse’s reaction to the circumstances at hand gives the physical attribute of compassion.

For instance, a sick old lady has a terminal illness that might take her life one day, and a nurse’s duty is not only to attend to her physical needs but also her emotional needs.

What could she possibly be thinking right now, knowing that she might pass away at any time?

A compassionate nurse can direct this question most subtly without hurting the patient’s feelings.

At the same time, the patient can open up to what has been bothering her, and all the while, make the whole experience inside a hospital all the more bearable.

Alleviating the sense of dread inside a hospital

It should go without saying that hospitals have a sense of dread in them that most people feel.

It’s where most patients get sick and treated, and to some, it’s one of the worst experiences they will ever face in their lives.

Not to mention, many patients pass away inside the hospital itself, and it’s an uncanny feeling to think that a hospital room has been used for a patient who has died once.

See also: Can Nurses Pronounce Death?

For times like this, a nurse needs to show compassion towards patients to make them feel like they’re at home despite not feeling like it.

At the very least, nurses make hospitals feel more bearable and give comfort to the patients.

In addition, nurses can help make hospitals think closer to home where the patients won’t feel like going to a place of despair, but rather a haven where they can chat with friendly nurses that they can regard as family.

How to show compassion as a nurse?

There are several ways for nurses to show compassion to patients. Below is a detailed list of how one can achieve understanding in hospitals.

Make heart-to-heart talks.

Talking to your patients is the best way to connect with them at an emotional level.

Not only does talking help, but having to ask questions that aren’t too intrusive and letting them share their insights and experiences is a good way of establishing trust that is unique to both you and your patient.

Additionally, it gives a patient a friend to lean on in the hospital, which is an excellent way to feel comfortable in an otherwise solemn and gloomy environment.

As a nurse, you can get the feeling of having someone to talk to after grueling work hours, and it makes the job all the better.

Play games with your patients

Having small games can be a massive part of the happiness of many patients, and it’s the job of the nurse to keep them happy and lively.

Games can be a great way to maximize the time spent inside the rooms when everything is not as busy, and your patients will surely appreciate the effort of keeping their time as memorable as it can be.

These games can be anything from card games or board games, which help provide indoor activities to a minimum without putting them in too many physical activities.

Board games and card games are also a great segway to meaningful conversations, which you can use to build rapport and show compassion whenever it’s necessary.

See also: Compassion Fatigue in Nursing

Watch movies together

The last thing that you can do to show compassion is spend time with them using a television.

Watching shows and movies that remind them of the past or childhood is the perfect way for patients to feel comfortable and happy.

It’s even better when you share the same taste in movies and shows you can connect.

It’s important to remind patients of their past and childhood because it’s the most memorable time they used to have.

It’s also a great way to open conversations specific to a patient that will show that you are genuinely compassionate about them.

In hard times, movies and shows are there to supplant the idea of happiness for a brief period, and it’s your job to keep the happiness and compassion inside the hospital room.

Conclusion: Why compassion is important in nursing?

As you can see, the importance of compassion in nursing is to keep the emotional structure inside a patient stable. Happiness is the most significant source of that, and it’s a nurse’s job to help patients get the most out of their time in the hospital.

Compassion is not that hard to achieve, and all you need to do is connect with your patient as profoundly as you can to help them cope with the circumstances at hand.

Then, regardless of what will happen, you have at least given their times at the hospital a much more bearable stance and something they can appreciate very much.

At this point, you should know why compassion is important in nursing.

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Why Compassion Is Important in Nursing?