Archive: Compassion

Flexible Scheduling for Nurses or Lip Service?

As healthcare struggles with staffing shortages, I’m continually baffled by the lack of flexible scheduling for nurses. This past week I spoke with a young nurse who told me she wants to continue working at the bedside but cannot work ...

Fostering Engagement Through Empathy

Empathy is what puts the care into healthcare. Without it, patients become just a number, just a case, just a disease. The same goes for your staff. Without empathy, you risk your staff losing interest in their job and the ...

Policies and Procedures vs Compassion

Every organization needs policies and procedures to ensure high-quality, safe care. Yet, policies can get in the way of being reasonable if we aren’t careful. When to follow, and when not to follow, policies can be difficult, especially when trying ...

Do Small Things in a Great Way

It’s no secret that small things add up quickly when it comes to the patient experience. Because high-quality and safe care is assumed by the patients and residents, it is often the small acts of kindness that stand out the most. Throughout ...

In These Scary Times, Look for the Helpers

Between the COVID surge and the rioting at the capital, there are many reasons for us to feel frightened, anxious, and sad because there is so much that is beyond our control. This is the perfect time to remember the ...

Hit the Reset Button

This week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is one of my favorite times of year because it is typically down time for most businesses. For me, this down time affords me the quiet time needed to reflect on the ...

Rx for Happiness. Start Accepting Compliments

Posted by Kristin Baird How do you react when someone compliments you? After the polite thank you, how do you really process the compliment? If you’re like many people, you may dismiss it and move on without allowing the words to ...

Show More Empathy for a Better Patient Experience

Posted by Kristin Baird https://youtu.be/gHuVCNm4oHQ Empathy is an essential element in a good patient experience, yet many providers miss important cues. In the past few weeks I have shadowed a number of hospitalists to help them improve their patient interactions. During hours ...

Child advocacy is everyone’s responsibility

Posted by Kristin Baird Anyone working in healthcare should advocate for patients. Patients are vulnerable and frightened. It’s an expectation that comes with the job. When I worked as a public health nurse, I had daily opportunities to serve as a ...

A New Understanding of Grief

Posted by Kristin Baird Grief is a lonely process. As a healthcare provider, I’ve seen grief throughout my career. I’ve been on the side of tragedy and loss where I was the one helping others walk through a crisis and bereavement. ...