There are many ideas in Buddhism that are relevant to our society such as impermanence, karma, and meditation; however, I find the Buddhist idea of compassion most relevant to what I do. I am a nursing major, and in nursing, we are taught that compassion is one of the most fundamental elements of nursing practice, empowering nurses to care for patients who are stricken by misfortune. I see a strong correlation between the notion of being close to patients and viewing their situation as more than a routine procedure or a medical scenario in nursing and the Buddhist idea of compassion. In the following essay, I will look at various aspects in the practice of nursing that benefit from the Buddhist idea of compassion. According to the American Nurses Association, nursing is a profession in the health care sector that focuses on “the protection, …show more content…
They may be more willing to reach out to a nurse who seems compassionate and caring as opposed to a nurse who seems more interested in getting home. The moment in which human caring is established is when patients feels comfortable pressing the call bell for help rather than disregarding the blood in their urine or the fact that they lost all sensation in their lower extremities. Compassion also plays a key role in communication. A part of nursing is not just knowing what to say, but how to say it. Patients are more responsive to nurses who exhibit sincerity and empathy as opposed to animosity. Smiling, or simply addressing the patient the way he or she wants to be addressed contributes to the optimal care nurses are expected to uphold. The little things are what matters whether it is listening without interrupting, sitting down next to the patient to maintain eye level, or simply asking them how their day was. It is the presence compassion that fosters improvement of quality patient care and the development of a caring
Within the two essays On Compassion by Barbara Lazear Ascher and On Dumpster Diving by Lars Eighner, the idea of living poor is presented as a central theme. Do earthly possessions and abundance of money really make you rich? Or in reality, are you really poor because you're focusing more on self-involvement rather than compassion and thoughtfulness towards other individuals? According to dictionary.com, the definition of poverty is the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support; condition of being poor. Of these two essays, On Compassion is more effective to its purpose.
Even though skills along with knowledge are key components of nursing, in my opinion, compassion is crucial to the practice. Nursing is a public service and commitment that takes an irrefutable desire to help people in need, When I enter the field, even as a student, my standpoint will always be to treat my patients how I would want an individual to treat my family. Henderson’s concept of holistic care fits together with my beliefs about what nursing embodies. In practice, my goals are to always view each patient as an individual, center my care on the patient and their varying needs be it personal, emotional, or physical, and to encourage patients to be active in their care in hopes of improving outcomes. I will also strive to bring colleagues together and collaborate with them to provide the best care for our patients.
A nurse is no longer categorized as the submissive doer of the physician and higher ups in position. Today, a nurse is a powerful, respectable force and source of knowledge, protection, advocacy, promotion, skill, and dedication. They take the necessary
Statistically, over 670,000 Americans are homeless with a growing number. 48 million people go to bed hungry every night. Although we do provide shelters and opportunities in America, millions of people are homeless worldwide. Even on a more minor level there are still hundreds homeless within hometowns. Everyday we encounter the homeless whether by seeing them holding their personal signs at stoplights, confronts with beggars, or viewing them from afar under bridges. In her essay titled “On Compassion”, writer Barbara Ascher uses rhetorical techniques detailing some of her personal homeless experiences within the city life, Asher does effectively use logos, pathos,
When someone hears holistic nursing their mind may immediately jump to a form of hippie nursing with little to none scientific background or accuracy in the quality of care. This belief however is extremely inaccurate as to what holistic nursing really is. Holistic care can be defined as to when the nurse honors the patient’s wishes and takes into consideration the social, physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of the patient’s life (American Holistic Nurses Association, n.d.). Holistic nursing is growing in popularity amongst patients because of its open communication between nurse and patient, its unique approach to health and healing, as well as the comprehensive care it can provide.
They should feel that they are cared for by friendly, approachable, available, helpful and informative staff who can listen to them, offer them advice, protect their dignity, anticipate their anxieties and act in appropriate ways.” (Proctor). She explains the importance of patient and caregiver communication, as well as, the characteristics to portray towards a patient. When a nurse shows respect and acknowledges the patient that shows they are willing to have an open relationship to give quality
This may be affected more in some fields of nursing than in others due to the amount of time each nurse can be spent with each patient, but should always be incorporated as much as possible. Potter et al. mentions that "by establishing a caring relationship, the understanding that develops helps the nurse to better know the patient as a unique individual and choose the most appropriate and efficacious nursing therapies" (2013, p. 85). By getting to know your patient, it makes your routine slightly easier as you can engage in practice knowing how that patient reacts, thinks and copes with different situations. It also allows that bond of comfort and trust to exist that will have the patient open up to personal feelings and other necessary subjective data needed to fully care for the individual as well as develops credibility when patient education is initiated. This is something that may develop over time but in the acute setting can be established by simply remembering the name of the patient, sometimes that may be all that is necessary for the patient to feel known by the nurse. Just reciprocating conversation about life, their experiences, their fears, and their thoughts on health is substantial for developing a caring moment and incorporating the fourth caritas process between the patient and
The Nurse Practice Act or NPA was created to not only protect nurses during their practice, but the public as well. According to American Nurses Association (2012) "Acts are intended to protect patients from harm as a result of unsafe or incompetent practice, or unqualified nurses" (para. 4). These set rules and regulations are in place to allow safe and efficient nursing practice in any setting.
To reach enlightenment in Buddhism, one must overcome attachment to the pleasure of peace. Gampopa defines the pleasure of peace as “the desire to achieve nirvana only for oneself without the altruistic mind for sentient beings, and because of it, one does not benefit others” which is also termed as the lesser vehicle (Gampopa, 126). The remedy for this is the practices of loving-kindness and compassion. When one develops this loving-kindness and compassion, then one will have a mind that wants all sentient beings to meet with happiness as well as be free from suffering and its cause. When one achieves this, then one is attached to all sentient beings and no longer wants to attain liberation only for oneself. Compassion is so heavily ingrained in Buddhist practices, that it has been noted that the Buddha had said “the cultivation of loving kindness and compassion is not just part of our practice, it is all of our practice” (Strain, “Compassion & Stoic Philosophy”). Compassion is not just a crucial aspect of the path to Enlightenment; practicing and training in compassion can function to improve the lives of those unconcerned with achieving Buddahood through means of improving health, well-being and increasing self-motivation. Considering the benefits that can come from compassion, everyone should take part in practicing and experiencing compassion as its benefits extend into other aspects of life.
The following essay is a reflective paper on an event that I encountered as a student nurse during my first clinical placement in my first year of study. The event took place in a long term facility. This reflection is about the patient whom I will call Mrs. D. to protect her confidentiality. Throughout this essay I will be using LEARN model of reflection. I have decided to reflect on the event described in this essay since I believe that it highlights the need for nurses to have effective vital signs ‘assessment skills especially when treating older patients with complex medical diagnoses.
Communication is an important concept of caring in nursing because the nurse has to know how to communicate efficiently in order to get the patient to trust the nurse enough to open up to the nurse and also the nurse needs to communicate respectfully to show the patient that they genuinely do care about their health and want to help them as much as they
Philosophy of Compassion Today world, kinds of compassionate acts and movement from various religious groups and humanitarian organizations can been seen. There may have been different perspectives and numerous definition on compassion. Maybe for many of them compassionate acts might come from the concept that people lack basic human needs and need assistance like for food, water, clothing, shelter while other might do out of pity, sympathy, or empathy. Some may intent just to fill the temporal need of people for a certain time. From these, one can assume that human has kind of feeling of compassion for other.
A tenet of Buddhist philosophy for centuries, self-compassion has recently emerged as a promising intervention in Western Psychology with the potential to yield greater life satisfaction, social connectedness, emotional intelligence, and happiness while minimizing anxiety, depression, shame, fear of failure, and burnout (Barnard & Curry, 2011). In Buddhist tradition, a self-compassionate individual responds to his/her personal suffering with wisdom, loving-kindness, and mindfulness that extends beyond the self to all others who are suffering (Reyes, 2011). The Western definition of self-compassion derives mainly from the work
Compassion from a care giver needs to be felt towards patients to ensure that difference will be made. A positive attitude can be contagious towards other employees or the ones being cared for. When a nurse approaches a patient with an upbeat, but calm and confident vibe, the visitor excepts and trusts the work that must be done to them. One is put at ease when they are in the that type of environment. Altruism is the ability to be selfless and instead have a dedication to the welfare of others. () In the nursing profession, an employee shows care and empathy for clients, but must do the same towards themselves. A nurse must maintain calmness within herself when with a patient in order to fully provide security for their patient. It is important for the nurse to prevent becoming tired or stressed which may hinder them carrying out their duty effectively. In order to receive and hold humanistic-altruistic values, a nurse must extend forward continuous love, kindness and mental awareness at all times. Altruism is essential in unlocking a nurse 's compassion and empathy therefore creating a more positive and healing environment for the patient. () Not only must a nurse show the proper care towards ones clients with an appropriate attitude, but taking care of an employees own self needs and requirements are
“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” ― Dalai Lama XIV, The Art of Happiness. This quote said by the Dalai Lama has a great meaning to it. Most just see compassion as another word in this world, when it’s so much more than that. Compassion bring people together, makes the world a better place, and most importantly allows you to connect with others. Compassion is necessary to the human experience because it keep the world emotionally connected.