Effective provider-patient communication and the relationships that it supports are located at the centre of quality health-care delivery. The patient-centred approach is increasingly seen as an effective way to provide effective patient care, being more sensitive and responsive to the needs of the individual. Empathy has been identified as a core component of "patient-centredness" but definitions often lack conceptual clarity. This paper proposes to clarify the definition of empathy keeping the discussion true to Rogers' original definitions of the concept whilst integrating the work of other writers. A major thrust is the development of an innovative conceptual model of empathy which has the potential to both integrate previous research findings and provide a framework for future research and training. The model is based in social psychological conceptions of attitude.
The vocation of clergy life can be a hazardous journey. Stress and burnout are issues, which are increasingly reported by clerics. Burnout is defined by a constellation of work related symptoms (Doolittle, Mental Health, Religion & Culture,10(1), [31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38] 2007), with emotional exhaustion recognised as a core component. Despite this recognition the research has not focused on factors which lead to this state of emotional exhaustion in particular secondary traumatization. The purpose of this article is threefold. Firstly, it presents the theoretical framework of secondary trauma. Secondly it reviews the literature aligning clergy and trauma work and thirdly it discuses the emotional and physical toll upon clergy from this aspect of their role.
This study was designed to explore the use of critical incident stress debriefing as a therapeutic intervention following traumatic life events. A case study approach was used to allow the researchers to adopt a more flexible and overtly involved stance. Initial contact took place 24 h following the traumatic life experiences of three women. Critical incident stress debriefing was provided and data were collected and recorded within an ethical framework. Six months following the traumatic life experiences the women were interviewed again to explore their perceptions of the intervention that was provided. The results demonstrated positive outcomes. The women concluded that the debriefing intervention provided a safe forum for them to explore their needs, process their experiences and create constructive narratives. A carefully constructed critical incident stress debriefing intervention was used within the context of its objectives and acknowledged limitations. The study was small and generalizations cannot be made to other individuals who experience similar tragedies. Nevertheless, evidence from previous research coupled with the findings from this study suggests that mental health nurses might benefit from being educated and trained in critical incident stress debriefing. Further research needs to be carried out to explore the use of different models of stress debriefing applied to special circumstances. The goal of such interventions should be to alleviate symptoms and to prevent the development of a full-blown post-traumatic stress disorder.
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