Kindness in Health Care: The Key to Better Communication and Patient Care
A recent study has shed light on the importance of kindness in health care settings, suggesting that it could hold the key to improving communication within health care teams and ultimately enhancing the quality of care for patients. Researcher Nicki Macklin has defined kindness as being action-oriented, positively focused, and purposeful in nature, emphasizing the importance of civility, respect, generosity, openness, and inclusion in interactions within health care settings.
According to Macklin, kindness goes beyond mere compassion and empathy, as it involves actively choosing actions that help others flourish, regardless of their emotional states. While empathy involves sharing another person’s feelings or situation, and compassion entails a desire to alleviate suffering, kindness is characterized by proactive and empathetic responses aimed at promoting the well-being of others.
Macklin’s research highlights the potential benefits of embedding kindness in the culture of health care teams and organizations. By fostering a culture of kindness, organizations can improve communication among team members and with patients, leading to enhanced experiences of safety and trust for patients. This emphasis on kindness can be integrated into medical education, policies, and organizational practices to create a more supportive and compassionate health care environment.
Importantly, Macklin notes that kindness can exist even when clinicians are experiencing burnout, but it requires a supportive organizational culture that values and sustains kindness among employees. Drawing on her own experiences as a patient advocate, Macklin emphasizes the profound impact that interactions within health care teams can have on patient outcomes, underscoring the importance of fostering effective teamwork and communication.
Moving forward, Macklin’s research will further explore the role of kindness in health care through surveys and interviews with health care professionals and patient-centered care specialists worldwide. By advocating for kindness as a core principle of health care at all levels, Macklin hopes to improve patient care outcomes and experiences.
Ultimately, Macklin’s work underscores the significance of kindness in health care settings, highlighting its potential to enhance patient safety, engagement with health care services, and overall outcomes. By prioritizing kindness in interactions within health care teams and organizations, we can create a more supportive and compassionate health care environment that benefits both patients and providers alike.
