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Community mental health nurses' and compassion: an interpretative approach
K Barron1,2, R Deery3, G Sloan4,5
1Community Mental Health Team (Adult Services), NHS Ayrshire & Arran, Ayr.
Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
|February 17, 2017
Summary
Compassion is vital in mental health nursing, yet its definition remains unclear for practitioners. This study clarifies compassion
Area of Science:
- Mental Health Nursing
- Healthcare Practice
- Qualitative Research
Background:
- Compassion is increasingly emphasized in healthcare policy and practice.
- Recent reports highlight a perceived lack of compassion in care.
- The concept of compassion is under-explored in community mental health nursing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore community mental health nurses' interpretations and perspectives of compassion.
- To gain insight into the meaning and practice of compassion in mental health settings.
- To inform the development of compassionate care practices within the National Health Service (NHS).
Main Methods:
- A naturalistic, interpretive research approach was employed.
- Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine community mental health nurses.
- Thematic analysis using Burnard's 14-step model was applied to interview data.
Main Results:
- Compassion's complexity and its impact on emotional responses and relationships were illuminated.
- Nurses found engaging in compassionate practice challenging yet recognized its importance.
- Difficulties in defining and consistently practicing compassion were identified.
Conclusions:
- Mental health nurses require support to enhance their understanding of compassionate care.
- There is a need to emphasize and nurture self-compassion among mental health professionals.
- Findings offer potential for sharing best practices across NHS organizations.
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