Compassion
Essays

Mythological archetypes can be found almost anywhere one is willing to look for them. Joseph Campbell began his exploration of myths and mythological figures -- and his book the Power of Myth -- with an examination of…

the paper is based on Compassion fatigue, first explaining the nature of compassion fatigue and the causes of such fatigue. The paper further looks at the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the caregiver and lastly looking at the examples of coping strategies and resources that may be available to the care giver.

On November 11, 2011, I had the opportunity to observe and participate in a "Day of Compassion," which challenged individuals to live each minute of that day in as compassionate a way as possible, in other words,…

According to Roy Simpson's 2001 article from Nursing Management "Compassion meets the computer age," nurses can take heart: one of the most vital functions they perform can never be done via the computer, namely the…

In his book the Tragedy of American Compassion, Marvin Olasky bemoans the current state of charity and poverty relief in the United States, comparing it to what he considers the far more effective aid offered in earlier…

Nursing is a field which requires not only medical competency but also an ethical predisposition toward care and comfort. This is the orientation described in this essay, which addresses a series of questions regarding the morals and ethics of the nursing profession. The responses focus on the role played by establishing personal patient-centered relationships as an ethical responsibility.

Those who care for others as part of their professional duties must understand the nature of caregiver fatigue and the basics of caring for oneself. Generally, the focus of a caregiver remains on the care recipient to such a degree that personal limitations are ignored and self-care principles are shunted to the background. Caregivers rarely have realistic expectations about the long-term impact of caregiving, and invariably consider themselves up to the challenge. The immediacy of caregiving tends to obfuscate considerations about self-care and the end result is that caregivers tend not to develop a long-term plan for their own health and care. Simple issues such as pacing oneself seem unreasonable or impossible to attain in the stressful environment of caregiving.

Compassion fatigue has been referred to as "the cost of caring" for others in several fields of work -- notably healthcare, social work and other professions in which empathy and hands-on human assistance can lead to…

There are a number of warning signs for the concepts that fall under compassion fatigue. Perfectionists put themselves at risk, as do people who are naturally self-giving and those who are overly conscientious (Bush,…

"…Compassion means going directly to those people and places where suffering is most acute and building a home there"