The Role of Empathy in Health and Social Care Professionals

The current article is an integrative and analytical literature review on the concept and meaning of empathy in health and social care professionals. Empathy, i.e., the ability to understand the personal experience of the patient without bonding with them, constitutes an important communication skill for a health professional, one that includes three dimensions: the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral. It has been proven that health professionals with high levels of empathy operate more efficiently as to the fulfillment of their role in eliciting therapeutic change. The empathetic professional comprehends the needs of the health care users, as the latter feel safe to express the thoughts and problems that concern them. Although the importance of empathy is undeniable, a significantly high percentage of health professionals seem to find it difficult to adopt a model of empathetic communication in their everyday practice. Some of the factors that negatively influence the development of empathy are the high number of patients that professionals have to manage, the lack of adequate time, the focus on therapy within the existing academic culture, but also the lack of education in empathy. Developing empathetic skills should not only be the underlying objective in the teaching process of health and social care undergraduate students, but also the subject of the lifelong and continuous education of professionals.

Download Full-text

Improving health professionals’ and learners’ attitudes towards homeless individuals through street-based outreach

Health Education Journal ◽

10.1177/00178969211037362 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 001789692110373

Author(s):

Justin Zeien ◽

Jeffery Hanna ◽

Jasper Puracan ◽

Sara Yee ◽

Abel De Castro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Social Care ◽

Social Needs ◽

Homeless Population ◽

Professional Attitude ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

Before And After ◽

The Impact

Objective: To identify the impact of volunteering in a street medicine programme on perceptions of and attitudes towards individuals experiencing homelessness. Design: Prospective pre- and post-analysis using involvement in a street medicine programme as the intervention. Attitudes towards and perceptions of individuals experiencing homelessness were measured using the Health Professional Attitude Towards the Homeless Inventory (HPATHI). Setting: Participants provided outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness across metro Phoenix in parks and in homeless encampments along the streets. Method: Students and preceptors from numerous professions, including medicine, nursing, social work, physical therapy, occupational therapy, public health and undergraduate students, who volunteered for the street medicine programme were organised into small outreach teams. All volunteers were emailed the HPATHI to complete before and after semester-long, monthly outreach events. Results: Volunteering in our street medicine programme demonstrated statistically significant improvements in perceptions of and attitudes towards individuals experiencing homelessness for all volunteers, regardless of profession. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that integrating street medicine programmes into curricula for health and social care programmes can reduce the stigma towards individuals experiencing homelessness, inspire increased commitment to practising in underserved communities and meet the unmet health and social needs of the homeless population.

Download Full-text

The future role of the psychiatrist in Europe – a UEMS perspective

Die Psychiatrie ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1670734 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 11 (01) ◽

pp. 35-42

Author(s):

M. Hermans

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

General Interest ◽

Future Role ◽

Personal Opinion ◽

The Future ◽

The Subject ◽

The Many

SummaryThe author presents his personal opinion inviting to discussion on the possible future role of psychiatrists. His view is based upon the many contacts with psychiatrists all over Europe, academicians and everyday professionals, as well as the familiarity with the literature. The list of papers referred to is based upon (1) the general interest concerning the subject when representing ideas also worded elsewhere, (2) the accessibility to psychiatrists and mental health professionals in Germany, (3) being costless downloadable for non-subscribers and (4) for some geographic aspects (e.g. Belgium, Spain, Sweden) and the latest scientific issues, addressing some authors directly.

Download Full-text

Practices of inclusion for carers who are higher education students

10.31234/osf.io/mtf59 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jordan Taylor ◽

Paula Gleeson ◽

Tania Teague ◽

Michelle DiGiacomo

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Social Care ◽

Higher Education Institutions ◽

Education Students ◽

Institutional Settings ◽

Policies And Procedures ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

Students With A Disability ◽

Crucial Part

The role of unpaid and informal care is a crucial part of the health and social care system in Australia and internationally. As carers in Australia have received statutory recognition, concerted efforts to foster engagement in carer participation in work and education has followed. However, little is known about the strategies and policies that higher education institutions have implemented to support the inclusion of carers. This study has three components: first, it employs a review of evidence for interventions to support to support carers; second, it reviews existing higher education institutions’ policies to gauge the extent of inclusive support made available to student carers, and; third it conducts interviews with staff from five higher education institutions with concerted carer policies in Australia were held to discuss their institutions’ policies, and experiences as practitioners of carer inclusion and support. Results indicate difficulty in identifying carers to offer support services, the relatively recent measures taken to accommodate carers in higher education, extending similar measures which are in place for students with a disability, and difficulties accommodating flexibility in rigid institutional settings. A synthesis of these findings were used to produce a framework of strategies, policies and procedures of inclusion to support carers in higher education.

Download Full-text

The value of psychiatrists in leadership and management

BJPsych Advances ◽

10.1192/apt.bp.115.015156 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 263-268 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jennifer Perry ◽

Fiona L. Mason

Keyword(s):

Social Care ◽

Self Awareness ◽

Management Styles ◽

Leadership And Management ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

The Uk ◽

Medical Leadership ◽

The Impact ◽

Organisational Level

SummaryThe health and social care landscape in the UK is changing, and there is now, more than ever, a real need for doctors to embrace leadership and management. Evidence shows that medical leadership is associated with better outcomes for patients. Psychiatrists are particularly well suited to such roles, given the interpersonal skills and self-awareness that they develop in their training. In this article, we examine the role of the psychiatrist in leading at a patient, team and organisational level and the impact this has. We also discuss different leadership and management styles.

Download Full-text

The Role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Older Adults’ Decision-Making Related to Health, and Health and Social Care Services in Daily Life—A Scoping Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph19010151 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 151

Author(s):

Susanna Nordin ◽

Jodi Sturge ◽

Maria Ayoub ◽

Allyson Jones ◽

Kevin McKee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Decision Making ◽

Information And Communication Technology ◽

Communication Technology ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Social Care ◽

Care Services ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

Information And Communication

Information and communication technology (ICT) can potentially support older adults in making decisions and increase their involvement in decision-making processes. Although the range of technical products has expanded in various areas of society, knowledge is lacking on the influence that ICT has on older adults’ decision-making in everyday situations. Based on the literature, we aimed to provide an overview of the role of ICT in home-dwelling older adults’ decision-making in relation to health, and health and social care services. A scoping review of articles published between 2010 and 2020 was undertaken by searching five electronic databases. Finally, 12 articles using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method designs were included. The articles were published in journals representing biology and medicine, nursing, informatics, and computer science. A majority of the articles were published in the last five years, and most articles came from European countries. The results are presented in three categories: (i) form and function of ICT for decision-making, (ii) perceived value and effect of ICT for decision-making, and (iii) factors influencing ICT use for decision-making. According to our findings, ICT for decision-making in relation to health, and health and social care services was more implicitly described than explicitly described, and we conclude that more research on this topic is needed. Future research should engage older adults and health professionals in developing technology based on their needs. Further, factors that influence older adults’ use of ICT should be evaluated to ensure that it is successfully integrated into their daily lives.

Download Full-text

Role of the Single Assessment Process in the Care of Older People. How Will Primary Dental Care Practitioners be Involved?

Primary Dental Care ◽

10.1308/135576106778529080 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol os13 (4) ◽

pp. 130-134 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Elizabeth A Lane ◽

Jennifer E Gallagher

Keyword(s):

Older People ◽

Dental Care ◽

Social Care ◽

Assessment Process ◽

Care Needs ◽

National Service Framework ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

Dental Practitioners ◽

One Stop

Following the publication of the National Service Framework for Older People, there have been developments across health and social care to facilitate holistic assessment of older people's needs, through what is called a ‘single assessment process’ or ‘SAP’. In this paper, readers are introduced to the SAP. The process can be seen as a ‘one-stop’ approach to the assessment of vulnerable older people that facilitates cross-referral between the agencies involved and triggers access to dental care. The paper explores the benefits of this new way of working in support of older people and how it will provide an opportunity for innovative dental practitioners to integrate oral healthcare for people with complex health and social care needs into the SAP. In concludes that as local commissioning evolves, opportunities for practitioners to develop targeted services for this important patient group should be expanded to improve the uptake of healthcare and oral healthcare.

Download Full-text

Health and Social Care – Towards an Understanding of Wellness Management and the Role of IS

Procedia Computer Science ◽

10.1016/j.procs.2015.08.487 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 64 ◽

pp. 248-256

Author(s):

Audrey Grace ◽

Robert Gleasure

Keyword(s):

Social Care ◽

Health And Social Care

Download Full-text

An insight into the work of sexual assault referral centres and the role of the forensic nurse examiner

British Journal of Nursing ◽

10.12968/bjon.2021.30.22.1296 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 30 (22) ◽

pp. 1296-1302

Author(s):

Helen Hand-Oades

Keyword(s):

Sexual Assault ◽

Social Care ◽

Criminal Offence ◽

Healthcare Staff ◽

Referral Centre ◽

Know How ◽

Care Workers ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

Insight Into

It is more likely than ever that healthcare staff of all grades and in all settings will encounter cases of sexual assault, so it is crucial that they know how to respond appropriately to support survivors. Health and social care workers engage with clients in a range of situations, which means that they are well placed for such disclosure. In some cases, particularly if the assault is a recent incident, time is of the essence to ensure that there is no loss of evidence that could be crucial in gaining a conviction. This article explores the role of a sexual assault referral centre (SARC), a service that few people know about or think they will ever need. The type of sexual activity that constitutes a criminal offence will be discussed and information presented that offers direction for those who want to involve the police, and for those who do not. Links to a range of organisations are also included that survivors of recent or historic sexual assault can access for support and advice.

Download Full-text

A Systematic Review of UK Educational and Training Materials Aimed at Health and Social Care Staff about Providing Appropriate Services for LGBT+ People

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16244976 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (24) ◽

pp. 4976 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ros Hunt ◽

Christopher Bates ◽

Susan Walker ◽

Jeffrey Grierson ◽

Sarah Redsell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Professionals ◽

Social Care ◽

Care Staff ◽

Behaviour Change Techniques ◽

Narrative Synthesis ◽

Educational Materials ◽

Lgbt Issues ◽

Training Materials ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

Lgbt People

Background: There is greater dissatisfaction with health services by LGBT people compared to heterosexual and cisgender people and some of this is from lack of equality and diversity training for health professionals. Core training standards in sexual orientation for health professionals have been available since 2006. The purpose of this project is to systematically review educational materials for health and social care professionals in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues. Methods: A protocol was developed and searches conducted in six databases. Selection criteria: any studies reporting delivery or evaluation of UK education of health and/or social care professionals in LGBT issues, with no language or setting restrictions. Inclusions and data extraction were conducted in duplicate. Narrative synthesis of educational evaluations was used. Educational materials were assessed using thematic synthesis. Results: From the searches, 165 full papers were evaluated and 19 studies were included in the narrative synthesis. Three were successful action-research projects in cancer services and in residential care. Sixteen sets of educational/training materials have been available since 2010. These varied in length, scope, target audience, and extent of development as classroom-ready materials. Conclusions: Despite the availability of appropriate training programmes for post-qualifying staff, recommendations to undertake training, best practice examples, and statements of good intent, LGBT people continue to report that they are experiencing discrimination or direct prejudice from health and/or social care services. Better training strategies using behaviour change techniques are needed.

Download Full-text