Heart Head Kindness and other influences

Tweeting away a couple of days ago I came across @WeNurses #nursestaketen  which encourages us to do something a little different, even if just for a short time. It made me seek my take ten moment, and as winter approaches I'll return to some creative activities in the darker evenings. The suggestions also included writing a blog from the heart; a prompt if ever I saw one as my heart has been a cause for concern in the last couple of weeks though thankfully the local rapid access cardiac team tell me I'm ok. My emotional heart has been touched by reminders to be kind to ourselves in David Gilbert's blog and being kind to others in Dr Dharmaraj Karthikesan's blog.

All very well beng chilled about kindness;  then I saw references to poor care home standards in the news; in particular what was evidence of an indefensible nursing attitude. The news piece flags up stereotypes of Care homes; whilst there are obviously concerns about the home mentioned it ignores the many excellent and simply good care home there are who can make a difference. 

It was the quoted, secretly filmed words of the nurse that struck home to my nursing heart and head. Immediate  to be "struck off" thoughts were the initial reaction; the attitude that allows uncritical use of medication for care givers convenience is wrong. But head says how did that person get to that place? Are they so isolated, denied training, supervision and support that they have lost that critical internal voice that says - "stop, think a moment" before you speak and act? I understand from the report the nurse has been suspended; I presume some disciplinary action will follow. 

Both heart and head say who was being kind to this nurse and their colleagues? Who was listening if they raised concerns? I suspect no one was. How can we reach out to our colleagues who find themselves in such conditions that they cannot "take ten"; maybe the act of kindness in seeking other professionals working in isolation and offering to share a coffee, tea and cake (nurses know the value of cake) and allowing them to take a break will avoid this kind of headline being repeated.

I realise I'm fortunate in being able to reflect on this from afar; I hope nursing and others will take heed of the calls for kindness not just to others but to ourselves; if we cannot do that our responses to those in distress, in need of kindness, will find no use of head and no gift of heart in those who are expected to care for them.