Jane Hughes

Nursing therapeutics: Teaching student nurses care, compassion and empathy

BACKGROUNDnDebate continues regarding whether humanitarian values such as care and compassion can be taught or are innate in individuals who wish to become nurses.nnnOBJECTIVESnTo undertake a discursive review of the literature on caring, compassion and empathy. To understand the teaching and learning issues associated with these concepts. To design and implement an Undergraduate Unit of study which addresses the development of caring, compassion and empathy in student nurses.nnnMETHODS/DATA SOURCESnMEDLINE, CINAHL, and a wide range of literature including books and governmental reports were used for a discursive narrative review.nnnRESULTSnCaring, compassion and empathy are ill-defined; however healthcare users are clear that they know when nurses use skills and attitudes associated with these concepts. Evidence is available to show that caring, compassion and empathy can be taught and there are tools available to measure them in neophytes through their training. Central to the androgogical embedding of these concepts into nursing curricula is the development of therapeutic relationships.nnnCONCLUSIONSnIt is possible to develop materials to enable student nurses to learn how to care using compassion and empathy. Nursing therapeutics is a term devised to describe how student nurses can exploit the therapeutic potential of any patient contact especially when related to specific and routine nursing interventions. Muetzels model for understanding therapeutic relationships is one framework that can be adopted to help student nurses to appreciate how to build patient relationships and encourage them to move towards therapeutic advantage using care, compassion and empathy.

Parents’ Experiences of Caring for their Child Following Day Case Surgery: a Diary Study

The development of children’s health care over the last 15–20 years has resulted in an increased move towards ambulatory care, including day case surgery, which has implied benefits in reduced hospitalization and cost. The wider impact on the child and family is less clear. The study aimed for greater insight into the impact of day case surgery on thechild and family from the parent’s perspective. Using a qualitative approach and descriptive and inductive methods, the design focused on the parent’s experiences of their child’s surgery. Diaries were completed by 11 families over a 7–14-day period following their child’s surgery. Findings demonstrated that there weresignificant issues for families in managing the care of their child with regard to the social impact for the parent and child, emotional issues for parent and child, and the need for formal and informal support systems.

Developing Nursing Practice with Children and Young People: Hughes/Developing Nursing Practice with Children and Young People

Part One: Becoming a childrens nurse- an exploration of developing scope and practice. Chapter 1: The emergence of the 21st century Childrens and Young Peoples Nurse. Chapter Two: The changing educational landscape of childrens and young peoples nursing. Chapter Three: An international comparison of childrens and young peoples nursing roles. Part Two: The Registered Practitioner in Nursing- scope of Practice. Chapter Four: the newly qualified practitioner in acute settings. Chapter Five: The newly qualified practitioner in primary care. Chapter Six: The Public Health Practitioner. Chapter Seven: The Children and Young peoples Mental Health Practitioner. Chapter Eight: The Practitioner working with Children and Young People with Disabilities. Chapter Nine: Safeguarding and supporting children & young people and their families. Part three - Advancing Nursing Roles in Children and young peoples Nursing. Chapter Ten: The Advanced Practitioner in emergency and acute assessment units. Chapter Eleven: Advancing Nursing Roles and interdisciplinary working: more examples from practice. Chapter Twelve: Careers in Research and Education. Chapter Thirteen: Looking to the Future