Care and Compassion in the Nursing Profession

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Caring and Compassion in the Nursing Profession

Nursing is a physically and emotionally demanding job. There are six virtues that should be followed when working as a nurse. Caring and compassion can be viewed as “nursing’s most precious asset” (Schantz, 2007). Caring and compassion are two different characteristics with similar meanings. Caring is defined as showing kindness or concern for others (Oxford, 2013). Compassion is defined as sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others (Oxford, 2013).

Some people choose nursing as their job because their desire to care for others. Being a caring individual allows you to make a therapeutic relationship with a patient. When a patient feels cared for; emotionally they develop trust and self-worth. Caring requires you to physically meet your patient needs. When a patient has a sense a being cared for they may be more willing to participate. Most nurses have a certain mindset as “Do unto others as you would want done unto you” (Watson, 1988).

Along with caring, compassion is reason why people desire to be nurses. Compassion is not sympathy you show toward a patient in need, but rather the sympathy that causes you to act on an inner desire to help that patient (Hart, 2011). When showing compassion it’s not doing things you are accountable to do as a nurse, but doing it because you are urged to do it as a human being to make a difference.

All six virtues define nursing characteristic as a whole, but caring and compassion are key things to have when treating patients as nurses. To maintain a high quality of health care revolves around caring and compassion. It makes a big difference to have compassion in your heart to care for others. Caring and compassion can have such a good impact on a patient to warthere he/she will gain self-worth and dignity.

References

Caring. (n.d). In Oxford online dictionary. Retrieved from http://oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/caring Compassion. (n.d). In Oxford online dictionary. Retrieved from http://oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/compassion Hart, M. (2011). Compassion: A Necessity For Quality Nursing Care. Retrieved from http://www.anurseiam.com/show_winners.php?winning_nurses_id=57 Schantz, M. (2007). Compassion: a concept analysis. Nursing Forum, 48-55. Retrieved from http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursing-practice/clinical-zones/management/compassion-in-nursing-1-defining-identifying-and-measuring-this-essential-quality-/5006242.article Watson, J. (1988). New dimensions of human caring theory. Nursing Science Quarterly, 175-181. Retrieved from http://rnjournal.com/journal-of-nursing/caring-and-the-professional-practice-of-nursing