Compassion: a universal language

Abstract

Nursing was founded on the ideas of care and compassion. Research has shown that nursing students have the potential to struggle with the concept of compassion or rather maintain this compassion throughout their careers. The compassion and excitement that many students begin nursing programs with can quickly be dissolved with the high demands of nursing curriculum. With teaching strategies afforded through service learning activities such as international medical trips, compassion can be reignited and demonstrated in ways that are more evident since this is not a typical clinical setting. It is vital that nursing education utilize any available resources in order to demonstrate and model compassionate behaviors in order for students to not lose sight of what compassion means for the profession and calling of nursing.

Keywords:

• compassion
• service learning
• international medical trips
• caring

Compasión. Huruma. . Three different languages; however, this one word has the power to bring nations together. Compassion sees the suffering in others, is motivated to help others, and desires to heal the physical, emotional, and spiritual hurts and needs of others (Johnson, 2008; McConnell, 2015). Compassion literally means to “suffer together.” What better way to show caring and compassion for people than to literally feel the pain and be moved to ease that suffering for one another. Nursing was founded on the premise of providing healing and removing the suffering from those who were hurting. Throughout history, caring and compassion provided the framework in which nursing was built. Compassion is and should be an integral part of nursing.

The idea of compassion is not only highly emotional, but also motivational (McConnell, 2015). Not only does it include the capacity to feel kindness and warmth towards others, it involves the desire to lessen the hurts and suffering of those individuals. There has been an increased awareness concerning compassion and the effects it has on patient care. Recent evidence suggests that there are implications for nursing education in regard to providing compassionate care; in addition, it is proposed that professional nursing education does not necessarily impart the qualities of compassionate care into the curriculum (Adamson & Dewar, 2015; Horsburgh & Ross, 2013; Johnson, 2008). Furthermore, the service qualities, such as caring, helping, and compassion, that students begin with can sometimes quickly dissolve within the stressful clinical world. There is so much emphasis on the medical management of a patient and numbers, such as vital signs and lab work. Students become preoccupied with the clinical component of nursing due to strict grade requirements; however, it is important to encourage learning environments that nurture the growth of compassion alongside of the theoretical components of the nursing program (Adamson & Dewar, 2015). Although the theoretical and clinical component is crucial to producing successful nurses, teaching compassionate care cannot be disregarded. Compassion should be modeled throughout the nursing curriculum in order for it to be maintained and sustained. Research suggests that one cannot be truly compassionate toward others without first understanding compassion and having this toward themselves (Boellinghaus, Jones, & Hutton, 2014; McConnell, 2015; Raab, 2014). In addition, this should lead to the delivery of compassionate nursing care that is driven by internal motivation rather than meeting company or department demands.

Nearly five years ago, when this southeastern university began the venture of international medical trips, there was no doubt that there would be benefits to each experience. The students would understand a different side of medicine, explore new cultures, work with limited resources, and even further develop their clinical skills. However, one of the greatest gifts the addition of this program has provided can be neither measured nor graded. Throughout the experience, students were required to complete a reflective journal in order to document their thoughts and answer some guiding questions about the experience. Each student reported walking away with a better understanding of what it meant to share compassion for someone whom they had never met before … someone who had nothing to offer in return.

This summer, students traveled to a region of the world referred to as IndoChina. In the summers, the south is considered one of the hottest and most humid places … well, quickly it was discovered that the south was the second hottest and most humid place! This IndoChina region was consistently 98–103 degrees Fahrenheit with 100% humidity every day! Despite the wet and muggy days, the men, women, and children of this area waited in line to be seen in the medical clinics set up by the teams in the villages. One by one, they would make their way into the clinics barefoot and with nothing to offer except their stories, their smiles, and very appreciative spirits. From the grieving mother who had lost her daughter and the will to live to the newborn who was born with a hole in his heart and struggled to take each breath, each had one thing in common: they were suffering. Although these individuals sought and received medical attention, healing was offered through a means that medicine could not provide. Each day, students listened to the stories, heard the suffering, physical, emotional, and spiritual hurts of the people of the region … they literally “suffered together” with them. By offering their presence and a listening ear along with medical care, students began to live out compassion. Throughout the students’ journals, it became apparent that students had learned and understood what it truly meant to have compassion for another person … one they could not even understand without an interpreter. During this time, no translation was necessary. These students realized that despite cultural differences, language barriers, and thousands of miles separating their homelands, compassion was something that could break barriers and reach all nations.

International medical trips are really a method of providing service learning. Kohlbry and Daugherty (2013) stated that service learning experiences provide students with activities that involve them with meeting the needs of communities and the people within those communities. The students become directly involved in patient care and assessment of communities along with working to improve ways of living for certain populations. In addition, the students are encouraged and given time to reflect and process their experience. Service learning activities can take place across the world; however, there can be engaging experiences in any local community if these international opportunities are not readily available. This type of activity provides opportunities for students to have a hands-on experience and can allow for intentional experiences that may not happen in the clinical experience (Stallwood & Groh, 2011; Kohlbry & Daugherty, 2013). It is equally important to note that professional organizations such as the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2008) are encouraging the use of collaborative problem-solving strategies that combine the concepts of service and community to produce optimal health outcomes in education and practice settings. The ideas, values, and behaviors learned through their participation in this service learning experience brought the students idea of compassion to a higher level than it was before and one that the students will be able to forever integrate into future practice.

What a powerful and enriching experience for nursing students and faculty! There is significant potential to change the world and the reality of this should truly begin in the classroom. Providing these opportunities to students really is such a life-changing experience; however, this should actually begin at home. As nurses and nurse educators, this compassionate behavior expected of students should be modeled on a daily basis. This should be established in the classroom, then displayed in the clinical setting whether locally or internationally. Teaching nursing truly is a calling … a calling devoted to the demonstration of care and compassion. The goal in providing these opportunities for students is to further develop nursing students into nurses who have a desire to care for and show compassion to all people … two qualities that this world cannot afford to lose.

ORCiD

Leigh Booth http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9975-6486