Abstract

The phenomenon of interest in this study was the nurse's experience of compassion. Nurses derive their professional purpose in serving society. Society expects a nurse to possess the attribute of compassion, but it is unclear what this experience is. The profession can be accountable to society only after a useful understanding of compassion has been discovered. This study undertook to converse with nurses about their experience to understand the concept of compassion. ;The phenomenon of compassion is a "lived experience" that can only be described by the person who has experienced it. Phenomenology is a method that seeks to understand the experience of the person. Interviews were conducted with nine nurses who have experienced compassion in the practice setting. Phenomenological analysis of the interviews along with stories of compassion from nursing literature revealed the essential themes of compassion. ;The essential themes of the nurse's experience of compassion are: human involvement, encompassing emotion, benevolent intention, and extraordinary generosity. ;The phenomenological description of compassion is: The nurse becomes involved with the patient through recognition of shared humanity and understanding of the patient's need. Nurse, patient, and landscape are encompassed in the situation resulting in the nurse's deep emotions. The nurse suffers with the patient and has the intention to improve the patient's situation. The activity to improve the patient's situation involves extraordinary generosity of self, time, or actions. ;This study provides an understanding of nurses' compassion which can guide nurses as they seek to meet the social mandate for nursing as well as promote the well-being of patients and themselves