title: Delivering compassionate care in intensive care units: nurses' perceptions of enablers and barriers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Compassion is core to nursing practice. Nurses' expression of compassion is a complex interaction informed by the nurse, the patient and the practice environment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to identify personal, professional and organizational factors, intensive care nurses, in a major metropolitan facility in Australia, identified as enabling or disabling them to be compassionate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intensive care nurses (n = 171) reflected on their experiences during 'compassion cafés' conducted in 2015.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative, reflexive methods were used to explore ICU nurses' perceptions of enablers and barriers. Nurses documented their perceptions, which were thematically analysed. Meanings were subsequently verified with participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings identified multiple factors both inside and outside the workplace that constrained or enabled nurses' ability to be compassionate. Two main factors inside the workplace were culture of the team, in particular, support from colleagues and congruency in work practices and decision-making, and connections with patients and families. Outside the workplace, nurses were influenced by their values about care and lifestyle factors such as family demands.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses capacity to be compassionate is a complex interplay between nursing knowledge and expectations, organizational structures and lifestyle factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The responsibility for 'compassionate' care is a shared one. Nurses need to be cognizant of factors that are enabling or inhibiting their ability to be compassionate. Healthcare leaders have a responsibility to provide structural support (staffing, education and space) that assist nurses to deliver compassionate care and where appropriate cater for nurses needs so that they are better able to be compassionate.
authors.affiliation: Metro South Health, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Medical Ethics, Law and Professionalism, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Winch
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Strube
authors.affiliation: Nursing Practice Development Unit, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Menzies Health Institute, Griffith University, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: Nursing Practice Development Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia.|School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0564-3243
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Henderson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D064648:Critical Care Nursing; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male
keywords: barriers; compassion; compassion cafes; connections; culture; inhibitors; nursing; relationships; shared understanding; support