Balance of Compassion and Effective Healthcare Leadership Essay Assignment paper

Balance of Compassion and Effective Healthcare Leadership Essay Assignment paper

Balance of Compassion and Effective Healthcare Leadership Essay Assignment paper

This assignment will evaluate the current literature to identify the impact of compassion and compassion fatigue on efficiency. Consideration will be given to the direction and impact of the dark side of leadership, as Schantz (2007) highlighted that for nurses (leaders) to powerfully impact the world; compassion is their most effective tool if they use it appropriately. Reflections from the clinical workplace will be used to illustrate and inform the discussion.Balance of Compassion and Effective Healthcare Leadership

Compassion evokes deep feelings of sympathy, empathy, and the need to help someone in distress (Cambridge, no date). Compassion is one of the core values of the NHS Constitution (DoH, 2009); and is often referred to in the same context as good care to give a level of assurance, which it is argued dilutes its true significance and validity.

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Recent change has seen compassion elevated to a subject of extensive consideration and debate in policy reform and strategy development (Sinclair et al., 2016). Dewar and Christley (2013) argue that the Compassion in Practice Strategy (DoH, 2012) isolates the fundamental aspect of care which is compassion, risking individual interpretations of implementation. Similarly, Crawford and Brown (2011) posit that the utilisation of a strategic compassionate approach, incorporating all six C’s to support the development of progress is more likely to achieve its goals of implementation. Dewar and Nolan (2013) welcome this view, as while there remains ambiguity around how to measure compassion, it will continue to be a political ruse to reassure the public that poor standards of care are being addressed. In conflict with this approach, Watson (2006 and 2009) demonstrates that the tools and outcomes of a metrics based approach do not go far enough to evidence the intricate layering required to fully represent what is needed to realise real compassion. It is asserted that this compromises its use as a foundation for transformation and should be used with informed caution. Balance of Compassion and Effective Healthcare Leadership

Crawford and Brown (2011) introduce the concept of ‘fastcare’, warning that there is too much focus on what people have been unable to deliver and not enough on what has facilitated the outcome. When this is considered in the context of the NHS becoming more business focused (Lister, 2008), it is possible that a culture of threat will develop (Crawford et al., 2011), which Rothschild (2006) sanctions, can lead to compassion fatigue. Crawford et al. (2011) warn that this fatigue can cultivate a production line mentality, which is task and not patient focussed. Sadly, this is in direct conflict with Darzi’s (2008) plea for greater patient safety and dignity. Frustratingly, healthcare and social care workers experiencing feelings of stress, guilt, and exposure to bureaucracy, job instability and micromanagement are at high risk of becoming defensive, which in turn can prevent them from being compassionate (Gilbert, 2009). Adding to the picture, Cooper (2012) identifies that every day NHS leaders are faced with the fear of failure, amplified by the threat of external scrutiny which their organisations are unable to affect or control; the impact of these dictates a defensive mindset.

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