Keynote Presentation

 Day 1 I Monday 14 October 2019

9.25-10.25am

Presenter: Dr Rosie Kneafsey PhD,
Head of School, Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Coventry University, UK

Compassionate practice: expectations, challenges and ways to support

The profession of nursing and nurses themselves are frequently celebrated and idealised for their compassion and caring skills, and few would argue against the need for compassionate healthcare.  Nurses engage with vulnerable people at highly sensitive points in their lives, often spending substantial time with patients and families, delivering both personal and complex care processes.  Within the rehabilitation setting, the importance of compassion cannot be under-estimated.  Compassion is a vital ingredient within the relationship between nurse and patient, and essential if it is to be a positive and caring one.  However, the provision of compassionate care is often complex, demanding and not without its challenges, and recent literature has suggested the emergence of a new ‘crisis of compassion’.  This presentation will explore the concept of compassion in healthcare, and its relevance to patients and rehabilitation practitioners alike, with particular focus on the ‘framework for compassionate interpersonal relations’.  It will discuss challenges to compassionate practice and ways to support and promote it, through education and development.