What nurses can teach us | Christie Watson | TEDxVienna

Summary

The speaker reflects on their journey from a young nurse inspired by TV dramas to a professor of Medical Humanities, exploring the critical role of compassion in healthcare. They recount their experience of compassion fatigue, the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how compassion became central to their work in a field hospital. Through stories like that of a patient named Betty, the speaker emphasizes the profound impact of human connection in nursing, advocating for a collective return to compassion and empathy in a world overwhelmed by suffering.

Takeaways

• 😊 Compassion is crucial in healthcare, but it can lead to burnout, especially for those dealing with constant suffering, like nurses.
• 😔 The speaker experienced compassion fatigue during their time as a nurse, feeling numb to suffering after years of exposure.
• 😷 The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of compassion, but also intensified the speaker's feelings of burnout.
• 🩺 Returning to nursing during the pandemic, the speaker became the lead nurse for compassionate care in a COVID ICU, realizing that saving lives wasn't always possible, but compassion could make a difference.
• 🙌 Compassion became the central aim of healthcare during the pandemic, and the speaker emphasizes that history will judge us by how compassionate we were.
• 😢 The pandemic also uncovered other social crises, like loneliness, inequality, and mental health struggles, compounding the challenges healthcare workers face.
• 🛑 Despite initial public support for healthcare workers, such as clapping for carers, people quickly retreated into their own worlds, overwhelmed by their own pain.
• 👩‍⚕️ Nurses play a critical role beyond their technical skills, providing emotional support and human connection, as illustrated by the speaker’s story of comforting an elderly patient named Betty.
• 🌍 The speaker urges us to reawaken to the compassion seen at the beginning of the pandemic and to apply it in broader contexts, helping to create inclusive communities.
• 💡 In times of great suffering, compassion may not cure us, but it can save us by helping us reconnect with our humanity and the shared experience of feeling deeply.

Q & A

What did the speaker initially think nursing was about when she started her training?

When the speaker began her nursing training at 17, she thought it was primarily about resuscitation, saving lives, and cracking chests, inspired by television shows like *E.R.*.

What realization did the speaker have about compassion during her time as a nurse?

The speaker realized that compassion is central to nursing, and that nursing is about much more than just saving lives—it involves caring for people in their most vulnerable moments.

Why did the speaker feel burnt out and numb during her years as a hospital nurse?

The speaker experienced compassion fatigue, which caused her to feel numb and indifferent to extreme suffering. Constant exposure to pain and trauma, like viruses, can become overwhelming and emotionally exhausting.

What role did the speaker take on during the COVID-19 pandemic?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the speaker reluctantly returned to clinical work and served as the lead nurse for compassionate care at a field hospital set up as a COVID ICU.

What does the speaker suggest is the key to how history will judge healthcare workers during the pandemic?

The speaker suggests that history will judge healthcare workers by their compassion, as it became clear that saving lives was not always possible, and compassion became the central focus.

How does the speaker describe the world's initial response to the pandemic, and how did it change over time?

At the start of the pandemic, the world was alive with compassion, with people clapping for healthcare workers and helping their neighbors. However, over time, people became more isolated and inward-focused, with a collective numbness setting in.

What is compassion fatigue, and how does the speaker suggest we recover from it?

Compassion fatigue is the emotional exhaustion that comes from constant exposure to suffering. The speaker believes that we can recover from it by remembering our capacity for empathy, helping others, and reconnecting with our humanity.

What story does the speaker share about her patient Betty, and why is it significant?

The speaker shares a story about Betty, an elderly woman who felt heartache after her husband’s recent death. The speaker did simple acts of care, like sitting with her and holding her hand, and Betty later said the speaker had 'saved her life.' This story emphasizes the power of compassion in nursing.

What does the speaker believe nursing represents in the broader sense of humanity?

The speaker believes that nursing is a measure of humanity, as it involves showing compassion and care for the most vulnerable people. Nurses represent a universal language of compassion that upholds the dignity of individuals.

What message does the speaker leave the audience with, quoting the poet Rumi?

The speaker encourages the audience to persevere and embrace compassion, even when tired or overwhelmed. She quotes Rumi, saying, 'I know you are tired, but come. This is the way.'