How to Recognize and Develop Your Compassion while Providing Stellar MNT By: Julie Metcalf Cull, Dietitian and Author

Compassion vs. Pity COMPASSION= o Roots in Latin com “together” & pati “suffering or enduring” o Showing compassion in health care allows you to “suffer together” and “feel each other’s pain” o Compassion + mindfulness can deepen each other—you and your resident, client or patient—providing a synergy that is unbeatable PITY= o Remember that when you feel pity for your resident, you feel an “I” sense of sorrow

How Compassionate is the US Healthcare System? Results of a National Survey completed 2010  Only 53% of patients and  58% of doctors believe the US Healthcare System is a compassionate one Problems with the US Health Care System are identified as:  Increasing Costs—(although recent healthcare changes have reduced costs w/n Medicare system)  Medical Errors  Inconsistent Results  Lack of Compassion 

Strong Evidence Suggests that Compassionate Care:  Improves health outcomes and quality of life  Increases patient(resident) satisfaction  Lowers health care costs

As your MNT Universe expands daily, now, there is one more thing to focus on…… Compassion content/uploads/2010/12/expanding- universe.jpg

Now We Can Better Focus on This Nebulous Quality that is Rather Difficult to Measure!

Let’s build upon your current compassion strategies! HAVING COMPASSION FOR ONE ANOTHER MAKES YOU OF ONE MIND.(116-THE HEALING RUNES; BLUM AND LOUGHAN;ST. MARTIN’S PRESS; 1997)

Four Essential Characteristics of Compassionate Care Nauert PhD, R. (2011) “Compassion Missing in American Healthcare”

 Empathy, emotional support, and a desire to relieve a patient’s distress and suffering  Effective communication at all stages of a patient’s/resident’s illness and treatment  Respecting patients’ and families’ desires to participate in making health care decisions  Knowing and relating to your resident/client/consumer as a whole person, not just as a person with a nutritional need

Instructions: For each of the next four slides, please turn to your neighbor; form a small group, if you prefer. Brainstorm within a maximum of 3-5 minutes for each of the four characteristics of compassionate health care. I’ll tell you when to move on! Make a Friend! Pick a scenario from your MNT practice Describe a compassionate body language or action you used Record it and be prepared to share with the group

How Can You as a Registered Dietitian in Your Personal Practice Settings Use this Characteristic of Compassionate Care? A. Empathy, emotional support, and a desire to relieve a patient’s distress and suffering Record Here:

How Can You as a Registered Dietitian in Your Personal Practice Settings Use this Characteristic of Compassionate Care? B. Effective communication at all stages of a patient’s/resident’s illness and treatment Record Here:

How Can You as a Registered Dietitian in Your Personal Practice Settings Use this Characteristic of Compassionate Care? C. Respecting patients’ and families’ desires to participate in making health care decisions Record Here:

How Can You as a Registered Dietitian in Your Personal Practice Settings Use this Characteristic of Compassionate Care? D. Knowing and relating to your resident/client/consumer as a whole person, not just as a person with a nutritional need Record Here:

Compassion Fatigue  There is a REAL danger!  As your Compassion Mastery Increases, Your potential for Compassion Fatigue does too.  Recognize this and provide yourself with daily self-compassion. The Burnout Effect If your values disagree with your actions, stress levels can increase. Dietitians begin their careers infused with a passion to make a difference!

Q & A Time! OK; Why can’t we do this? “THE BEAUTY OF FORGIVENESS, COMPASSION, AND LOVE IS THAT THEY HEAL ALL THE WOUNDS WITHIN US, LEAVING NOT EVEN A SCAR”(EASWARAN, THE END OF SORROW, 342)

Power Point Designer, Alex Wizieck