title: Learning the requirements for compassionate practice: student vulnerability and courage.
abstract: Student nurses' professional development arises through socialisation in nursing knowledge, values and behaviours. Students are expected to demonstrate compassion; however, compassion is a complex concept, one that creates emotional challenges. A grounded theory study was undertaken to explore student nurse socialisation in compassionate practice. In-depth interviews were undertaken with 19 students in the north of England during 2009-2010, and their concerns and concern management emerged. Students expressed several concerns, one being their emotional vulnerability and uncertainty of the emotional requirements for compassionate practice. A core category of 'balancing future intentions' was identified: that students managed feelings of vulnerability and uncertainty through balancing their intentions towards and away from engagement in compassionate practice, depending upon perceived impact on their emotional well-being. The findings are discussed in relation to emotional labour and moral distress, and courage, resilience and self-compassion are explored as a means to enable sustainable compassionate practice.
authors.affiliation: University of Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Curtis
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D066279:Courage; D004645:Empathy / Q000941:ethics*; D004739:England; D066296:Grounded Theory; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D012951:Socialization; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Boundaries; compassion; courage; emotion; student; vulnerability