Explore best practices in family nursing in Kenya: empathy as a value in caring

Abstract

Background: Study explored purposely selected 50 nurses’ empathy at Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya, caring for persons sick & well in 3months using empathy, self-awareness in reflective practice. WHO, 2013 emphasis on family health nursing is right to access quality healthcare. Aim: To determine nurses’ use of empathy caring for the sick and empathy as a competence. Methodology: It was a systematic descriptive review of literature using Assessment Tool adapted from American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE, 2013). The variables were; self-awareness, effective communication, timely interventions, relationship management, leadership skills, professional values, competences in practice, caring assessing skills & knowledge in caring. Results: Outcomes were determined by the reflective process of empathy while caring for the sick indicating, more emotional demand than taking care for the well and healthy while recovery or peaceful death were less demanding. Caring for one in pain related to causes, how to relieve or remove it was important knowledge achieved through training for the right diagnoses, plans and implementation of care and treatment. Empathy helps caring acts to be more achievable, productive and fruitful. Conclusion: Caring requires a gentle, strong, humble, and compassionate person to take on the tasks of caring with passion in order to promote and maintain health and well-being for all people.