A CULTURE OF EMPATHY

When I first spoke to mum about my project she told me about a lady, Maria, who cleaned on the ward I used to stay in at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Each time I was admitted she would make sure that my room was laid out in the same format and with the same toys and teddies that I had on previous stays. This gave me a sense of normalcy and routine at an uncertain time, and it made my parents feel seen and cared for as a family.

Whilst this person may very well have a natural capacity to see others and carry out acts of empathy in recognition, let us consider the best conditions which would bring this about…

Imagine Maria came into work late that day feeling stressed after being held up by traffic on a chaotic school run and having just heard news that her father-in-law had been taken unwell. But then, one of the nursing staff noticed Maria wasn’t herself, asked her how she was and offered to lend a hand in between her own tasks; Maria felt heard and seen herself, and allowed her colleague to help with setting up one of the side rooms for a patient’s arrival, amongst other routine tasks.

The same morning the ward administrator had brought in some cake for the nurse that helped Maria, as she had remembered that it was her birthday and chocolate cake was her favourite. This made the nurse feel cherished and connected with others. Earlier that week this admin staff had been acknowledged by line management for a system they had recently implemented to aid admissions, which gave her pride in her work and the team that she works within.

Do you see? There is a ripple effect where such acts of kindness and human connection flourish. These examples of localised cultures of empathy are often brought about more by accident than design within systems, but they create a result that directly impacts upon the patient feeling seen. It is common knowledge in the realm of psychology that to see others we must first feel seen. Human beings’ capacity to show empathy and compassion is at the heart of this experience. Toys being laid out in a side room may seem a small gesture but over 35 years later this is what my mother recounted as gold standard care.

In this research I aim to find out not only what it is that helps individuals to feel seen and heard, but how to create an environment where the workforce also feels empathised with, so that they are able to practise all interactions with colleagues and patients alike where Compassion remains at the centre.