Stakeholder perspectives of compassion in nursing: The development of the compassion strengths model

Evaluation of service user-led workshops in children's palliative care education

Children's nurses report feeling unprepared when caring for children with life-limiting conditions and their families, while the value of including service users in the provision of nursing education is increasingly recognised. This small-scale service evaluation examined the effect on learning of service user-led workshops as part of a module for final-year children's nursing students and post-registration children's nurses. The workshops focused on the experience of children's palliative care and child bereavement from the parents' perspective. Findings from evaluation data indicated high levels of satisfaction with the workshops and identified three themes: safe space, shift in perspective and enhancing practice. A model of service user facilitated learning describes how these themes can enable learning about children's palliative care. This evaluation suggests that the involvement of service users as partners in healthcare education can be transformative, enabling children's nursing students to examine their own perspectives and consider ways to enhance their future practice.

A scoping review of the self-reported compassion measurement tools

BACKGROUND

Compassion is closely linked to psychological well-being, and several assessment tools have been developed and studied to assess the level of compassion in different populations and for more precise measurement. There is currently a scarcity of comprehensive knowledge about compassion-related assessment tools, and our research provides an overview of these tools.

AIMS

To identify scales used to measure compassion from different flows, and to assess their measurement properties and quality.

METHODS

Focusing on compassion assessment tools, the authors conducted a thorough search of 10 Chinese and English databases from their establishment until August 14, 2022. Data extracted included the author, year, country, objectives, target population, as well as the primary evaluation content. Using the COSMIN checklist, the methodological quality and measurement properties of the included studies were appraised. This scoping review was registered with the Open Science Framework and followed the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) checklist.

RESULTS

There were 15,965 papers searched, and 36 compassion-related measurement tools were identified in this study. None of the 36 studies provided possessed all nine psychometric properties, as outlined by the COSMIN criteria. On the basis of a systematic evaluation of quality, measurement qualities were ranked. The results for internal consistency and content validity were relatively favorable, whereas the results for structural validity were variable and the results for the remaining attributes were either uncertain or negative. A Venn diagram was used to illustrate the overlapping groups of compassion measurement tools based on the three-way flow of compassion. An overview of the reference instrument and theoretical basis for the included studies was provided, and half of them did not contain any theoretical or scale-based evidence.

CONCLUSION

In this study, 36 compassion-related measuring instruments were identified, and the methodological quality and measurement properties of the included studies were acceptable. The included measurements were consistent with flows of compassion. A further focus of further research should be on developing theories in the compassion domain and developing instruments for measuring compassion that are multidimensional, multi-populations, and culturally relevant.

A visual ethnographic study on nurse lecturers' enactment of compassionate care within the adult pre-registration nursing curriculum

BACKGROUND

Nurse lecturers make a valuable contribution to developing the future nursing workforce. However, how this is nurtured within nurse education requires further exploration. There is limited research exploring the experiences of nurse lecturers providing compassionate care within the adult pre-registration nursing curriculum.

OBJECTIVES

This study explores how nurse lecturers enact compassionate care within the adult pre-registration nursing curriculum. To elicit shared patterns of behaviours and use creative methods to promote a critical dialogue.

METHOD

A visual ethnographic approach was used to explore nurse lecturers' experiences at a University in England. Using purposive sampling, nine auto-driven photo-elicitation interviews took place, and five participants attended a focus group to develop individual and collaborative concept maps. A thematic approach to data analysis was employed.

FINDINGS

Five themes were identified, illustrating compassionate care as the human condition involving appropriate behaviours and competent action. Compassionate care is threaded through the curriculum using different teaching and learning approaches, requiring a culture of shared human relationships. The combination of photographs, maps and descriptions provide a unique perspective of how nurse lecturers nurture and role model compassionate care to their students.

CONCLUSION

There are many ways compassionate care is experienced, enacted and enhanced by nurse lecturers within the adult pre-registration nurse curriculum. The five main themes act as a framework to guide nursing education and nursing practice. Future research should aim to understand better how compassionate care can be nurtured within different fields of nursing.

Battling extraordinary situations and conflicting emotions-A qualitative study of being a newly graduated Registered Nurse in the emergency department during the COVID-19 pandemic

Aim

To describe newly graduated registered nurses’ (NGRNs’) experiences of encountering stress in emergency departments (EDs) during the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Design

A qualitative descriptive study.

Methods

Data from 14 in‐depth interviews with NGRNs working in an ED for 3‐36 months after graduation was analysed by the means of qualitative content analysis as described by Graneheim and Lundman. Interviews were conducted from March to November 2020 covering the first two waves of the pandemic.

Results

Data revealed three categories and nine subcategories comprised in the theme Battling extraordinary situations and conflicting emotions. Empowered by acknowledging themselves as important caregivers during the pandemic NGRNs struggle against limitations and exert themselves beyond their known limit. External stressors due to work overload in combination with understaffing force NGRNs into the role of the experienced nurse prematurely and internal stressors derives from part taking in less qualitative care.

Effectiveness of an online short compassion strengths course on nursing students compassion: A mixed methods non-randomised pilot study

BACKGROUND

Although student nurses are expected to demonstrate and show understanding of compassion in their learning and practice, literature suggests that this is not always the case. To address this, nursing students need to be introduced to the value and behaviours of compassion during their education.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effectiveness of an online course to help nursing students develop their strengths and further validate the Bolton Compassion Strengths Indicators.

DESIGN

A pre-and post-mixed methods non-randomised pilot study.

SETTING

A university in the north west of England.

PARTICIPANTS

A sample of first year undergraduate nursing students (67), in two groups, with 33 in the online control and 34 in the on-site group.

METHODS

Both groups took part in the Short Compassion Strengths Course (SCSC). The online group took the course in their own time over a 3-week period, while the on-site group completed the course during their time at University. In both groups baseline assessments were carried out using the Bolton Compassion Strengths Indicator (BCSI). Post-test data were collected 3 weeks after in the online group and immediately after in the on-site group, for the BCSI and reflective accounts. Data were analysed using ANOVA in SPSS27.

RESULTS

The online group did not complete the course but filled out the questionnaires. The on-site group had significantly higher scores on all indicators but self-care and engagement.

CONCLUSIONS

The SCSC is an effective course for teaching and developing compassion strengths when delivered on-site. This paper adds further validity for the BCSI.

Compassion within an academic setting: Experiences of student nurses

Compassion is fundamental to the delivery of quality nursing care and is an expected core competency that students must achieve to become a registered nurse. Nurse educators have a role in teaching compassion and in cultivating compassionate behaviours, among students, thus this novel study explores the student nurse's experience and understanding of compassion within the academic setting. A qualitative descriptive study using digitally recorded focus group interviews was undertaken with student nurses (n = 32) to explore their experiences of compassion in an academic setting. Data analysis was performed based on Braun and Clarke's framework of thematic analysis. Three themes were identified: students understanding of compassion, students experience of compassion within the academic setting and supporting compassion in an academic space. Student nurses reported their experiences of compassion as predominantly positive. They advocated for further 'space' within the curriculum for more formalised approaches to foster supportive relationships and to improve their experience of compassion within the academic setting. It is important to understand students' perspectives as this can guide teaching practice, organisational policy reform, and future research.

The Impact of Work Environment on Nurses’ Compassion: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction

Compassionate care is considered as the main part of the nurses’ identity and a core component of nursing care. One clinical environment where patients experience a lot of pain and nurses play a vital role in delivering care is the intensive care unit (ICU).

Objective

Considering the importance of compassionate care in intensive care units, this study aimed to assess the relationship between the work environment and nurses’ compassion in intensive care units.

Methods

In this cross-sectional survey, a total of 235 nurses were randomly selected from the intensive care units of four educational hospitals of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences from January to March 2021. Data were collected by demographic questionnaire, the Sussex-Oxford Compassion for Others Scale (SOCS-O) and the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI).

Results

The results showed that there was a significant and inverse relationship between the patient per nurse ratio and the mean score of nurses’ compassion (P < .05). Moreover, Pearson correlation coefficient showed that the mean total score of the nursing work index had a significant positive relationship with the mean score of the compassion for others (r = 0.16, P = .016).

Conclusion

Health care managers and leaders should pay more attention to the promotion of nurses’ working environments and they should remove the organizational barriers of compassionate care delivery.

Determinants of compassion in providing care to older people: Educational implications

BACKGROUND

Care provision underpinned by compassion builds trust and ensures a deeper understanding of the health needs of older people. Yet nursing curricula in the United Kingdom focus on knowledge and skill acquisition rather than caring with compassion. This negatively impacts on the quality of care. Despite this, there is limited research on compassion in the care of older people.

AIM

To explore the views of nurse educators (NE), pre-registration nursing students (PNS) and clinical mentors (CM) of the determinants of compassion in the care of older people.

METHODS

A generic qualitative research design was used. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 39 participants (NE = 8; CM = 8; PNS = 23). These were digitally-recorded, fully transcribed and analysed thematically using NVivo software.

FINDINGS

Three main themes emerged from the data analysis: the meaning of compassion, extrinsic determinants of compassion in care, and intrinsic determinants of compassion in care.

DISCUSSION

The outcome of this study suggests that nurses and students think that compassion speeds up older people's recovery and enhances the quality of care. NEs consider its application in clinical practice a demonstration of competence.

CONCLUSION

The inclusion of compassion in practical sessions of pre-registration nursing curricula and in the care of the older person may result in improved understanding of the latter and provision of holistic, safe and effective care.

Developing compassion and emotional intelligence in nursing students: A quasi-experimental study

PURPOSE

This study examined the effect of the Caring Behavior in Nursing course on the compassion and emotional intelligence levels of nursing students.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This quasi-experimental study was carried out using pretest and posttest design. The research sample consisted of the intervention (n = 37) and the control (n = 36) group. Data were collected through "The Emotional Intelligence Evaluation Survey" and "The Compassion Scale."

FINDINGS

It was determined that the compassion levels of the students in the intervention group were statistically significantly higher than the compassion levels of the control group of students.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

It was found that the Caring Behavior in Nursing course was effective in developing compassion.

Development and validation of a new instrument to measure nursing students compassion strengths: The Bolton Compassion Strengths Indicators

Despite considerable research and rhetoric on the importance of compassion in nursing, progress has been hindered by the lack of an adequate psychometric instrument to measure its multidimensional nature. This paper reports several studies conducted over three stages, to develop and validate a new instrument to measure nurses' compassion strengths. A purposive sample of UK pre-registered nursing students studying at a University took part in this study. The eight indicators highlight the multidimensional nature of compassion. The Bolton Compassion Strengths Indicators (BCSIs) demonstrated robust psychometric properties and could provide the means by which nursing students can empower themselves, as they strive to develop their professional identity as compassionate practitioners. This new measure will also help other researchers and educators who wish to study the development of compassion strengths in nursing.