Compassionate care challenges and barriers in clinical nurses: A qualitative study

Abstract

Background: Compassion is the heart of nursing care. Barriers to compassion in nursing may be influenced by the prevailing culture and religion of a society. Determining the barriers to providing compassion-based care would help nurses to plan better and more appropriate interventions. This study aimed to explore the challenges and barriers to compassionate care in nurses. Materials and Methods: This ethnographic study was performed in 2014–2016. The study participants consisted of 40 nurses, 16 patients, and 8 family members in medical and surgical wards. Data collection was performed through observations and interviews. Data analysis was performed based on Strauss and Corbin's constant comparative method. Results: Data analysis defined three themes as the challenges and barriers to compassionate care; challenges and barriers related to the contextual environment of hospitals, sociocultural challenges and barriers, and challenges; and barriers related to staff. Conclusions: This study described the challenges and barriers to compassionate care. Therefore, to eliminate these barriers and challenges, corrective action should be taken by managers. Attention to teaching the concept of compassion and patient-centered care and increasing the number of nurses and positive attitude toward the nursing profession in clinical environment can be effective in providing compassionate care.

Qualitative study on the causes and consequences of compassion fatigue from the perspective of nurses

“…In this line, in studies by Brito‐Pons et al (2018a) and Oshidi et al (2019), work overload and continuous cost‐containment policies are identified as barriers to the delivery of truly compassionate care. In a study by Babaei and Taleghani (2019), the lack of a comprehensive care model is pointed out as an impediment to the implementation of compassionate care. Compassionate care may also be prevented by organizational barriers, as detailed in a study by Valizadeh et al (2018).…”

“…Compassion is actually a constructive response to the suffering of others, and it can improve responses to treatment, preserve the dignity of patients, and facilitate self‐care in the individuals who provide it (Brito‐Pons and Librada‐Flores, 2018b). Compassion is one of the core elements of nursing care (Straghair et al 2019; Babaei and Taleghani, 2019): it is an attitude that generates sensitivity to suffering and a genuine desire to alleviate it; it enhances comprehensive care, high‐quality care, and provides a satisfying experience in the conduct of the profession (Brito‐Pons et al, 2018a; Sacco et al 2015). However, in their daily work, nurses are exposed to traumatic situations, disfigurements, frailty, hopelessness, tragedy, pain, suffering, and death, which puts them at risk of developing compassion fatigue (CF) (Boyle 2016; Fallek et al 2019).…”

Family’s Supportive Behaviors in the Care of the Patient Admitted to the Cardiac Care Unit: A Qualitative Study

“…16 Patient's education and awareness can reduce their worries and stress and enable them to participate in their caring process. 22 One way to get information about the patient's conditions is the family members' attendance in the doctors and nurses' visiting of the patient. Au et al, indicated that family members had positive experiences with their participation in the doctors and nurses' round of their patient.…”

Compassion satisfaction and fatigue in cardiovascular nurses: A cross-sectional descriptive study

“…[ 15 ] The previous studies have shown that nurses who work in overly stressful conditions are more prone to mental and physical exhaustion. [ 16 ] Nurses who work in these sectors face environmental stress, high workload, resource constraints, lack of managerial support, and difficult care conditions for patients, which affect the nursing care process and can jeopardize the quality of nursing care. Numerous studies have been performed on compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in nurses worldwide.…”