Compassion – an imperative for nursing education and practice

Historically grounded in ethical, religious, and philosophical values, compassion is understood as a sensitive response to the suffering of others, accompanied by a genuine intention to alleviate it. Florence Nightingale, a founding reference of modern nursing, already considered it an indispensable attribute, capable of giving meaning to care and dignity to the patient (Straughair, 2012). The concept has been reviewed in recent decades considering the emerging challenges of providing care in increasingly complex and demanding contexts. The Francis Report (2013) publication marked a turning point, essentially in the UK, by highlighting the risks of devaluing compassionate care in healthcare organisations. Since then, the promotion of compassion has become an ethical aspiration and a requirement for the quality and safety of the healthcare provided. Compassion in nursing is often associated and related to empathy and care, involving the perception of suffering, the ability to connect with the cared-for person, and the commitment to their dignity (Gilbert et al., 2017; Von Dietze & Orb, 2000). For the National Health Service, this competence manifests itself in the provision of care based on respect and sensitivity, which are fundamental to building effective therapeutic relationships (Papadopoulos & Ali, 2016). Some researchers suggest that compassionate practice contributes to improving clinical outcomes, increasing user satisfaction and the well-being of healthcare professionals (Percy & Richardson, 2018).