Introduction
The aspect of client-centered care has gained increasing interest as the delivery of care shifts from nurse-focused norms to care that focuses on individual needs and beliefs. The presence of a holistic, compassionate client-centered care has replaced traditional modes of health care delivery to modern types where nurses apply both the science and art of health care delivery to ensure a positive patient outcome. Understanding the meaning and characteristics of a holistic, compassionate client-centered care creates a collaborative health environment.
The meaning of holistic, compassionate client-centered care
The holistic, compassionate client-centered care refers to the process of providing care to the diverse population whereby the care provider considers all the client’s treatment needs while considering emotional, physical, and mental values of the client. Moreover, the holistic compassionate client-centered care sees the care provider treat patients and their families in a kind and caring manner. According to Van Mol, Brackel, Kompanje, et al. (2016), client-centered care continues to gain increasing interests because of the rise in the number of diverse population and the need to focus on patient’s values, needs, and beliefs.
Behaviors and attitudes of nurses providing holistic compassionate client-centered care
Nurses providing holistic compassionate client-centered care demonstrate different behavioral attitudes from common nurses because the process links personal behaviors with professional thinking. First, the nurse demonstrates the attitude of kindness through a show of compassion. Delivering a compassionate care requires a sense of kindness and respect. The nurse thinks about health solutions from the client's point of view that include sharing clinical decisions with the client and helping manage their health. Van Mol, Brackel, Kompanje, et al. (2016) claimed being compassionate involves the attitude of the nurse allowing the client to have a silent environment, being present whenever needed by the patient, using of touch and showing high levels of sensitivity to concerns and worries of the patient’s family and relatives.
How compassionate client-centered care achieves positive health outcomes
Nurses should always aim at delivering the type of care that achieves positive outcomes. Patients experience a lot of challenges that influence the outcome of health care services provided by providers. The compassionate client-centered care introduces a phenomenon where the nurse views the client’s condition from a real-life perspective while promoting a collaborative environment that ends up achieving a positive health outcome. Bramley & Matiti (2014) conducted an evidence-based study on the relationship between compassionate nursing care and patient experiences. The study highlighted three major aspects of compassionate care that influences the positive patient outcome. First, the nurse must understand the meaning of the word compassionate and demonstrate behaviors and attitudes that show high levels of compassion. Second, the study revealed that understanding the impact of compassion care increases the nurse's knowledge of the patient's experience. Finally, it emphasized the importance of close client-nurse relationship through constant communication (Bramley & Matiti, 2014). Therefore; compassionate patient-centered care achieves positive patient outcome upon combining all three aspects realized by authors.
Second, nurses should understand that caring for patients is both an art and a science. It requires the science of applying nursing proficiency and the art of demonstrating personal behavioral traits such as becoming more attentive to patient’s needs and showing more concerns about the patient’s health experiences. A compassionate care represents the art of nursing by adding strength to the practice and making the nurse most responsible and aware of the patient’s health needs. The presence of a competent nurse influences the outcome of the disease or illness but when combined with a compassionate care increases the patient’s physical, emotional, and psychological health outcomes (Post, 2011).
Conclusion
Nurses globally should focus on holistic, compassionate client-centered care because it proves to have better positive patient outcomes than any other mode of health care delivery. The practice ensures nurses have positive attitudes towards patients and promotes a collaborative and understanding environment where the provider understands client’s concerns and determines the best approach that would have limited negative outcomes.
References
Bramley, L., & Matiti, M. (2014). How does it really feel to be in my shoes? Patients’
experiences of compassion within nursing care and their perceptions of developing compassionate nurses. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 23(19-20), 2790–2799.
Post, S. (2011, Sep. 22). Compassionate care enhancement: benefits and outcomes. The
International Journal of Person Centered Medicine 1(4), 808-813.
Van Mol, M.M. C., Brackel, M., Kompanje, E. J. O., Bakker, J. (2016). Joined forces in
person-centered care in the intensive care unit: a case report from the Netherlands. Journal of Compassionate Health Care, 3(5), 1-7.
