Smacc

Rick Body’s SMACC Chicago talk 'Is compassion a Patients Right?' takes us on a journey of emotions in critical care. Starting with his rendition of john Lennons ‘Love’. Body, explains the origin of the word compassion - a move to act based on someone else suffering, a sharing of suffering with. Body, initially focuses on a study conducted within his hospital of 125 patients, who were interviewed when admitted to their emergency department and when they where discharged. From the study it was depicted that, what patients truely wanted was simple human intervention; reassurance, friendliness, explanation, basic care. These responses were then coded into 5 different themes to depict how patients believe their suffering should be addressed; 1. Emotional distress 2. Physical symptoms - including pain (but not restricted to) 3. Information - Included reassurance and explanation 4. Care - Basic care 5. Closure - patients want to put this horrible episode behind them Body notes that patients are telling us that t