The impact of compassionate care education on nurses: A mixed‐method systematic review

Abstract

Aims To identify, describe, and summarize evidence from quantitative, qualitative, and mixed‐method studies conducted to prepare nurses and nursing students to lead on and/or deliver compassionate care. Design Mixed‐method systematic review. Data sources CINAHL, Medline, PsychINFO, and SocINDEX (January 2007–February 2018). Review methods Papers were screened by two independent reviewers using an online screening tool and data were extracted using a standardized data extraction table. Parallel‐results convergent synthesis was used to synthesize evidence from included qualitative, quantitative, and mixed‐method studies. Quality appraisal and risk of bias assessment were conducted. Results Fifteen studies were included with three main themes and six sub‐themes: (a) programme impact (impact on ward‐level and senior nurses and impact on nursing students and educators); (b) programme characteristics (characteristics leading to positive outcomes and characteristics leading to negative outcomes); and (c) programme implementation (implementation barriers and implementation facilitators). Compassionate care education programmes helped enhance nurses' ability to engage in reflective practice, deal with clinical challenges, and gain confidence. The importance of nurturing compassionate care delivery in nursing education was highlighted in the literature. Various nursing‐level, patient‐level, and organizational barriers to compassionate care delivery were identified. Conclusion The impact of compassionate care educational programmes on nurses was predominantly positive. Further evaluation of the long‐term impact of these programmes on nurses, patients, and organizations is warranted. Impact Optimal delivery of compassionate care can be achieved by building organizational infrastructures that support nurses from all levels to attend education programmes and lead on compassionate care delivery.

Compassionate Engagement and Action in the Education for Health Care Professions: A Cross-Sectional Study at an Ecuadorian University

“…Nevertheless, a number of previous studies have showed the difficulty of developing compassion in the training of health professionals [ 50 ] who, despite considering compassion as a very important element for their training, do not feel competent enough to apply compassionate care in the practice [ 51 ]. This is the reason why it is so important that the students be trained if they consider this need as a priority (as in the case of the Nursing students) [ 25 ] and if their professors are competent enough to put it into practice [ 24 ], and future research should be addressed for this topic.…”

“…The patients often expect this type of care; however, the health professionals are not always prepared to offer it [ 24 ]. In a previous mixed-method systematic review, researchers showed that the impact of compassionate care educational programs on Nursing leaders, students, and educators, among others, was positive; the main barriers being identified in relation to lack of available resources, lack of time, and lack of support, showing the importance of the workplace culture and team relationships [ 25 , 26 , 27 ], of support, of staffing, and of resources.…”

“…The importance of including educational contents related to compassionate care in the studies related to Health Sciences has been widely recommended in the literature [ 28 , 29 , 30 ]. Contents related to compassionate attitudes have helped to develop a reflexive practice, deal with the clinical challenges, and gain confidence in the health professionals, such as nurses [ 25 ]. In the case of the Medical professionals, recent studies have showed that the physicians practicing an empathetic and compassionate attitude is one of the most important aspects of the therapeutic relationship, its effects being measurable through specific neurobiological mechanisms that demonstrate the positive effect of compassionate medical care [ 31 ].…”

Perspectives on Involuntary Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa

“…However, this might not be the right approach in cases with severe and enduring anorexia nervosa, because this approach might result in disrespecting the patient's wishes and autonomy or exacerbating rigidity and protest behavior, especially in cases with a history of several unsuccessful treatment attempts. Professionals' compassionate care (68) and containment of patients' negative emotions (69) are basic treatment elements that need to be stressed in eating disorder treatment along-side the well-established focus on symptom reduction (57). In cases with several failed treatment attempts, adjustment must be done and clinicians are obliged to search for new approaches, including the right dose of patience, containing and compassion, along with goals for weight gain or stabilization, meal support, guidance and dialogue in the treatment.…”

Nurses' perceptions of success in self‐management support: An exploratory qualitative study

“…Ideally, this broad lens is already established during the nurses' training. Second, discussions among the nursing team can clarify the meaning of complex care situations (Coffey et al, 2019). Such initiatives can enable nurses to adopt a reflective stance toward patients' self‐management behavior.…”