The art of communicating compassion in PPE

May 5 2020

Caring for people wearing PPE is proving challenging for many health workers

Liese Groot-Alberts has written a beautiful and very helpful piece about how to communicate with compassion whilst wearing PPE. Liese is an expert in grief, bereavement, caregiver self-care and palliative care who works as an Educator, Mentor and Clinical Supervisor in Aotearoa.

In the article she explores how healthcare staff need to practice self-compassion as a prerequisite to providing compassionate care to others.

“The more you practice at work being fully present, the more you will connect with your compassion and the less you will be in the grip of fear and anxiety.”

Liese also shares very helpful tips to bring comfort to people when you are wearing PPE and your normal modes of communication are not possible. For example:

“When you sense there is sadness, simply look at them with kindness and gently touch your heart with one hand. Be present. Don’t interrupt. Be witness to the sadness. Healing comes when people feel seen and heard.”

We would really recommend reading the full article on the Palliverse website.

Thank you Lise for sharing your expertise on an issue which  many of us – and our colleagues – are struggling with at the moment.