I Dare You to Drink the Vinegar

 In a nation as vast and diverse as Canada, political division has become an unsettling reality. We are witnessing an era where blame and animosity have seeped into our everyday conversations, fostering a culture of hostility rather than understanding. In such a climate, the importance of choosing kindness cannot be overstated. This isn’t merely a lofty ideal; it is a necessity for the well-being of our communities and the fabric of our society. Dr. Simone Roach's work on the "Cs" of caring—Compassion, Competence, Confidence, Conscience, and Commitment—provides a meaningful framework for navigating these tumultuous times. By integrating these principles, we can cultivate an environment where kindness flourishes, even amidst deep-seated political differences. Compassion: Understanding Before Judging Compassion is the cornerstone of kindness. In a politically charged atmosphere, it is easy to fall into the trap of viewing others as adversaries rather than fellow citizens w...

The feeling we have when we can share suffering with another (or many) human beings. This is a gift of being human, this is an essential part of being a nurse. As we fumble together to find the best way that we can share this suffering, we grow as human beings, we grow as professional nurses. How can we conceptualize compassion in such a way that embraces it’s importance in nursing, and, in health care? I think that an unfortunate result of an increasing push to be more evidence based there is a push for nursing to be more technical, more empirically based, and less focused on the fluffy stuff. But, isn’t what some consider the fluffy stuff the foundation of nursing care? Is nursing about curing an illness, or is it about helping people and communities organize the conditions to maximize health? And how do we do this if the focus is the micro and the individual rather than the macro and the collective? And, how do the human and non-human co-exist? Discussion Questions: 1) What does...

Caring is an integral part of nursing. Caring is not a technical skill. We cannot quantify it. But, it is the foundation of all we do as nurses. That's not my idea. Seminal nursing theorists like Jean Waston  and Sister Simone Roach  crystallized ideas of caring in nursing decades ago. I think, now more than ever, we as nurses can revitalize not only our profession, but the healthcare system by embracing theories of caring.  We nurse with our hearts and our minds. In the 9 years of my nursing career I have seen how much of ourselves many nurses give when they enter into the caring relationship with their patients. I have walked the fine line between exemplary care and burning out. I think that in a profession that is centered around care it can be easy to ignore care of ourselves in our efforts to care for our patients. However, when we lose sight of ourselves and our wellness we are sacrificing both our hearts and our minds. In the last nine years of my nursing career,...

I think that we can demonstrate compassion to our clients/patients in many different ways, such as through respectful actions and words, seeking to learn more about their experiences, and listening to their stories from a perspective of genuine curiosity. I believe that compassion can also be demonstrated through simple actions and behaviours of the clinician, like maintaining punctuality of appointments, letting clients know when we are going to be late or when we may be short on time, and focusing on the client when we are with them rather than checking email or letting other coworkers interrupt our interactions. I believe that compassion can be clearly conveyed in more overt and more subtle ways.  I think that the language that we use with clients also demonstrate compassion, using the words that they use and reflecting the seriousness of certain situations if they feel like something is important or relevant to them. I think that compassion can also be demonstrated in being t...