Although thoroughness and accuracy are essential qualities in nursing care, they should not be prioritized over the demonstration of compassion and kindness toward patients. When your patients are scared, anxious, and in pain, checking things off your list of tasks without even introducing yourself or asking them how they’re doing can make your patients feel uncared for. Compassion is an integral but sometimes overlooked aspect of nursing, and it’s never too late to learn how to deliver compassionate care for improved patient outcomes.
We outline five compassionate nursing care tips in this article to help you connect with patients better and help improve the quality of care patients receive.
Compassionate nursing care tips
Mind your nonverbal cues
Nonverbal communication is significantly effective when it comes to providing compassionate care, as it can convey emotional information and establish therapeutic nurse-patient relationships.
When communicating with patients and their loved ones, it’s important to mind your nonverbal cues, such as your facial expressions, posture, and body language. Always maintain eye contact with your patient, allowing you to convey your sincerity, stay engaged in the conversation, and help you gauge your patient’s response. When your patients are speaking, provide small verbal encouragers and lean in to help them understand that their concerns and feelings are being heard and taken seriously.
Explain what you’re doing in a friendly manner
Put yourself in your patient’s shoes: If, all of a sudden, you find yourself in a hospital bed and healthcare professionals are taking your blood pressure, taking blood samples, and giving you medication without letting you know what it’s addressing, you might feel helpless and afraid. Explain what you’re doing to your patient in a friendly manner, allowing them to understand the procedures and make them feel involved.
Understand the importance of physical touch
Physical touch is a key component of compassionate nursing care. In its simplicity and straightforwardness, it creates an invaluable interpersonal connection between nurses and patients.
When patients are agitated, stressed, and scared, gently patting their shoulder, holding their hand, or placing a hand on their arm can make them feel at ease.
If your patient is afraid of needles or is scared of a certain procedure, offer your hand and let them know that they can hold it if they want. If friends or relatives are with the patient, let them know that they can hold the patient’s hand for support. Doing so can help alleviate pain and fears, and encourage the patient to become more receptive to care.
Make things light
Every bit of kindness helps, especially when it comes to lightening the burden of your patients who are feeling scared, stressed, and vulnerable.
Humor is a great tool when it comes to showing compassion. When doing your rounds, make your patients smile by acknowledging their progress, make them chuckle with a good joke, or, if they speak a different language, learn simple phrases such as “thank you” and “good job”. A moment of levity can go a long way for patients who are stressed and in pain.
Don’t take things personally
When patients are afraid or are in great pain, they’re more likely to act out, curse, or refuse help or treatment. They might scream at you and say hurtful things. When this happens, try your best not to take things personally. Acknowledge your feelings, but distance yourself from the emotions you’re feeling. For example, while being cursed at can hurt your feelings and can be a jarring experience, you can acknowledge how you’re feeling and not let it take over you or weigh you down.
Remain patient and respectful while staying calm and assertive. Over time, you’ll gain your challenging patients’ trust, enabling them to be more open about how they’re feeling and be more responsive to treatment plans and procedures.
By embracing these simple yet powerful practices, nurses can help transform the patient experience and foster healing. Even the smallest act of compassion, such as offering a hand to hold or providing a moment of laughter, can turn even the most challenging situations into opportunities for genuine connection and care.
