Leadership in Compassionate Care Nursing

To promote, inspire and facilitate compassionate nursing practice.

Edinburgh Napier University is developing a programme of compassionate care nursing in partnership with the NHS to ensure that compassion and understanding for the patient are embedded in the foundations of nursing practices.

‘When you are drifting in and out of consciousness and all you can see is machines and then you see a smiling face, it’s reassuring that someone is taking care of you.’ 

(Patient: National Cancer Alliance 22)

Why is there a need for such a programme?

How will the programme be run?

The goal of this project is to develop a number of focussed approaches, which aim to ensure that Edinburgh Napier students and alumni and other NHS nurses are unable to separate compassionate care principles from their daily approach to patient care.

The core approaches will include:

• Provide a support mechanism for students after they finish their work placements by extending the provision of the Reflection Group Sessions for a year after graduation.
• Embed the principles of compassionate care through re-written course materials, gaining continuous feedback from newly qualified registrants.
• Introduce new seminars and master-classes which give students a real understanding about the transition from student to practitioner.
• Introduce a new on-line mentoring service, initially available to Edinburgh Napier graduates.
• Establish, in partnership with the NHS, four Beacon Wards.  A Beacon Ward is defined as – a ward which demonstrates excellence in compassionate nursing practice. 
• From the Beacon Wards, establish a set of specific criteria that champion compassionate nursing practice – known as the ‘gold standard’
• Establish an intensive programme of leadership seminars and tutorials targeted at E-grade nurses.  It is envisaged that a number of scholarships for these courses would be made available.
• Seek opportunities for international exchange within areas of excellence in compassionate nursing practice.  And, in line with this, Beacon Wards will host visits for practitioners from other countries who are keen to develop compassionate nursing practice in their area.
• Design and manage a dedicated web-site to provide information, support and points of reference.

Fundraising target

This is an ambitious but important initiative deliverable by Edinburgh Napier University in partnership with the NHS. 

An investment of £1 million is required for the project to go ahead.  To date, £300,000 had been pledged to fund the first year of the project.  Funding for subsequent years has been pledged on review of year 1 of the project.

Click here for more information on Compassionate Care Nursing.