Introduction

            Throughout this semester I was able to watch different professions work with clients to get the best care possible to reach their treatment goals. I was able to see the good, bad, and ugly of nursing to see what I what kind of nurse I want to be and the kind that I don’t want anybody to be. The kind of nurse I want to be is one that can get things done, while keeping a good trusting relationship with clients and staff. I want to be able to advocate for my client effectively and understand their needs and feelings, and I was luckily able to start towards my nursing goals this semester. 

Clinical Event 

Over this semester I have been able to help a number of patients, however one stood out in particular for me. I was taking care of a patient who had been very confused after a fall and just wanted attention. I was able to sit with them for the majority of the morning because they didn’t have physical therapy or occupational therapy until later in the day. When I first arrived, I introduced myself and they introduced themselves as well. 

            Once we had gotten friendly, I got to doing my assessment and it was nice to see that even though it had to do with collecting data and just assessing the patient, they really enjoyed the company and seemed to put them at ease. They had been suffering from anxiety and depression which is something I can relate with, and I knew that just keeping them company would keep them a little bit more comfortable. I was able to use empathy to keep the patient comfortable and create a good relationship with them. When I finished my assessment, they had told me how lonely it gets in the hospital even though they constantly have staff coming in and out of the rooms, it’s nothing like building a relationship. 

            After helping them get ready for the day, I had sat in their room and just listened. They had such great stories from where they came from and all about their family. They also discussed how they love looking out the window because it’s a little bit more peaceful than just looking at the brick wall of the building. By the end of the day they were so thankful for me just sitting there and talking with them. I expressed how I was thankful for working with her because it opened my eyes just a little bit more to how a simple interaction can make someone’s day while using empathy and compassion. Having the skill of empathy and compassion can have a great impact on the client’s outcome.  Having a trusting relationship will truly have a positive outcome on how the client’s treatment will be. 

Empathy vs Compassion 

            It is seen in Watson’s Carative Factors that empathy and compassion are valuable in each factor and are important for each. One of the most important factors is the development of a helping-trusting relationship. This factor will include the use of compassion and empathy. With compassion, you need to show the patient that they are being cared for and that they are important. During this factor empathy is also important because it’s important to show that you understand the patient in order to have a trusting relationship. Another thing that goes along with the building of a trusting relationship is the promotion and acceptance of the expression of positive and negative feelings. This shows that you are empathetic because you know as a person how things can get difficult, this will allow the patient to know that you are able to help them and understand what they are going through. Being in the position to support the expression of feelings will better connect you to the patient. Using these techniques can improve client outcomes because it will allow the patient to trust you and build a relationship with you. When the patient is able to trust you, there will more likely be a better chance for the patient to trust your opinion of what’s best for them. It is important to keep these factors in mind while taking care of patients because they could make a positive outcome in the client. 

Self-Assessment

            My role in the event of being the client’s caregiver for the day was to make sure the client was safe and had the assistance needed to perform any daily activities. Another role that I took on during the day was being the advocate for the client. The nurse I had been working with wouldn’t let the client go to the bathroom until they had their medications, however the nurse was taking quite some time to draw them up and the client kept stating they needed to use the bathroom urgently. I was able to advocate for the client as they had been asking to go for more than ten minutes, I feel this was able to strengthen my relationship with the client since they did not feel strong enough to talk to the nurse. In the future I feel that I could advocate for the client earlier on so that they would get their needs taken care of right away. 

            I will incorporate caring behaviors into my clinical care by considering Watson’s factors any time I take care of a client. Using these factors can help create a positive outcome for a client. Building relationships with clients will allow the client to trust you and understand the different processes of the procedures and tasks needed to aid in the goals of the client’s treatments. The main goal is to make sure that client’s receive the best care with empathy and compassion in mind.