COMPASSION AS A CORE VALUE IN NURSING PRACTICE: A THEORETICAL

Abstract

Background: Compassion is a foundational and historical value in nursing, essential for holistic, patient-centered care. Despite its recognized benefits for patient outcomes such as improved satisfaction, compliance, and therapeutic relationships) and healthcare professionals (such as reduced stress, professional growth), modern healthcare systems often report a deficit in
compassionate practice. Barriers such as heavy workloads, institutional protocols, and misconceptions about professionalism hinder its consistent delivery.
Objectives: This literature review aims to synthesize the theoretical perspectives and conceptual understanding of compassion in nursing
Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted. The analysis involved a conceptual examination of compassion, identifying its antecedents, attributes, and consequences. Key nursing and psychological theories—including Watson’s Theory of Human Caring, Swanson’s Theory of Caring, Roach’s Six Cs, and the Compassionomics framework—were synthesized to build a theoretical foundation.
Results: Compassion is conceptualized as an emotional response to suffering, characterized by core attributes including empathy, kindness, holistic care, respect for dignity, effective communication, cultural sensitivity, and a patient-centered approach. Multiple theoretical models affirm compassion not as a mere soft skill but as a clinical imperative with measurable
benefits. A conceptual framework was developed, outlining the antecedents such as empathy, values, the core concept of compassion itself, its consequences, and moderating factors, culture, personality inclusive. The review also identifies significant strengths of compassion theory, such as its holistic and interdisciplinary nature, alongside weaknesses, including a lack of
definitional clarity and measurement challenges.
Conclusion: Compassion is an indispensable, multi-faceted core of nursing that significantly influences care quality and outcomes. Strengthening the theoretical foundation of compassion through clear definitions, robust measurement tools, and longitudinal research is crucial.