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. 2025 Mar;39(1):e13319.
doi: 10.1111/scs.13319.

Enablers and Barriers of Compassionate Care From a Nurses' Perspective: A Scoping Review

Nina M van den Berg  1 , Hanneke van der Wal-Huisman  1 , Barbara L van Leeuwen  2 , Wolter Paans  3 , Maya J Schroevers  4
Affiliations

Enablers and Barriers of Compassionate Care From a Nurses' Perspective: A Scoping Review

Nina M van den Berg et al. Scand J Caring Sci. 2025 Mar.

Abstract

Aims and objectives: To identify and synthesise empirical evidence on the perspectives of nurses regarding factors that enable and/or obstruct the delivery of compassionate care.

Methodological design and justification: A scoping review was chosen for its capacity to perform a broad exploration of the available literature.

Ethical issues: This scoping review raises no ethical issues.

Research methods: This review includes studies that report enablers and barriers of compassionate care. Both qualitative and quantitative designs were included. The quality of each study was assessed using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT). A narrative synthesis was employed to summarise the results.

Instruments: A search was conducted in the electronic databases of MEDLINE and CINAHL (1975-2021).

Outcome measures: Barriers and enablers to compassionate care from nurses' perspectives.

Results: Fifteen empirical studies were included in this review. Four themes of enablers and barriers to compassionate care emerged: (1) personal characteristics, (2) professional characteristics, (3) patient-related factors, and (4) workplace-related factors. Main facilitators were a strong motivation to deliver compassionate care, the managements' support of compassion as a nursing value and operating in a healthy team culture. Main barriers were the absence of education and/or role models for compassionate care, heavy workloads, and the managements' prioritisation of task-centred care.

Study limitations: This study is limited by the inclusion of qualitative studies with small samples and the absence of data from Northern Europe and North America.

Conclusions: The findings indicate that policymakers, healthcare leaders, and nursing management play an important role in nurses' ability to provide compassionate care. Through leadership that centralises compassion as a core nursing value, nurses receive greater support in prioritising compassion in patient care. This support is further enhanced by ensuring adequate staffing and manageable schedules, offering comprehensive training in compassionate care skills, and providing resources to support nurses' wellbeing.

Trial registration: PROSPERO: CRD42022324955 https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=324955.

Keywords: compassion; compassionate care; enablers; facilitators; literature review.

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References

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