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Have you ever wondered if there’s a better way to provide compassionate patient care?

There is!

Let me teach you how to C.A.R.E.

Does this sound familiar?

  • Your staff are frustrated trying to create individualized patient plans of care

  • Satisfaction surveys coming back low on the “listened and showed respect for the patient" section. Studies show that when that question is answered positively, overall scores are higher. But how do you mandate compassion?

  • Your staff are burned out, not engaged, bullying each other, and generally not happy

  • You know your staff care, but sometimes they don’t know how to be compassionate

  • You’re so frustrated, you’re considering leaving nursing all together

Imagine if. . .

Self

Female nurse with hands on heart

Learn tools that help you develop resilience for yourself – self compassion. You will realize a “ripple effect” when your staff becomes an extension of your good work. A bubble bath is nice, but nothing beats knowing your staff are the best they can be for self-care.

Staff

hands2

See the light bulb moment your staff understand what an individualized care plan can do for patient care. They know you are listening to what matters to them, and in turn, they listen to what matters to their patients. They will learn a step-by-step process to deliver compassionate care.

Patients

hands3

Knowing what matters to our patients, we can develop plans of care that they can actually comply with and will work for them. They will know that we listen, treat them with respect, and care about their limitations and support needs. This will build trust for improved outcomes.

C.A.R.E. is a step-by-step process that you can implement right now to improve your life as a nurse leader, increase staff engagement and performance, and improve the satisfaction of your patients the very next time you walk through their door.

Connect

Connect

Body and Mind to Yourself, Staff, and Patients

Assess

Assess

Know what matters to you, your staff, and your patients

Respond

Respond

Listen to feelings with compassion

Evaluate

Evaluate

The effectiveness of care, and say good-bye at the end of the shift

Want to learn more?

Compassion Centered C.A.R.E. - A Free, one hour continuing education course for nurses.

I’m Cheryl Barnes-Neff, a Registered Nurse for over forty years, with decades of management and quality improvement experience. I’ve taught many nurse leaders to be successful, and I’m looking forward to working with you, too!

headshotAbout

“Cheryl is extremely knowledgeable and has been very involved in teaching our field staff during her long career with our hospice. She is professional and reliable and is well respected by her co-workers.”

Dr. Denise S. Clark

Senior Medical Director

“Dr. Barnes-Neff is professional, ethical and insightful. When she presented at my class, she took the time to provide the latest research and was able to relate the material to the social work students specifically in order that they could understand the context and apply it in their field placements. I also witnessed her ability to connect with the students and help them engage in the presentation through reflective group exercises.”

Professor H. Burrows

Adjunct Professor of Social Work

“…Cheryl makes a difference. The joy she brings to the workplace is uplifting and the breadth of competence is a delight.”

The Rev Dr Martha Rutland

Director of Clinical Pastoral Education

“I need a WWCD bracelet – ‘What Would Cheryl Do?’”

Terri H., RN

Staff Nurse

Read my blog

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I need to feed my animals!

The other day, I read a post that was supposed to be funny on a nurse group over on Facebook. There was a cartoon of a patient being impatient about how long they had to wait – they had animals to feed! Having grown up in a rural area, and having farmers in my family, …

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CARE About Listening with photo of little girl with headphones one

Listening Skills

We like to think of ourselves as good listeners, but it’s important to take a closer look at our listening skills. Listening is a key component of assessment. We need to discover the patient’s history, their chief complaints, and their observations and reports about their symptoms. There are a number of types of listening, and …

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You can't pour from an empty cup. Red tea pot pouring tea into a red cup.

You can’t pour from an empty cup

A couple of years ago, our organization was going through a Medicare audit and I was tasked with coordinating the effort to copy charts, write supporting letters, and get everything sent on deadline. It was stressful to say the least, and I was getting frustrated feeling that some of the managers were not taking this …

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Remembering Maria. Woman opera singer

Remembering Maria

When I was a new hospice nurse, I attended a care planning meeting at a Long Term Care Facility. The facility staff reported that they wanted to increase our patient’s anti-anxiety medication because she was being disruptive. She would flail her arms, hum and vocalize loudly, and was resistant to personal care. I felt myself …

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C.A.R.E. Evaluate and End

C.A.R.E. to End

The step-by-step process for teaching compassion, and putting compassion at the center of care, is called C.A.R.E.Ô The acronym stands for Connect, Assess, Respond, and Evaluate and End. We will be applying each of the steps to ourselves, our staff, and our patients and their families. This is crucial for the method to work. The …

C.A.R.E. to End Read More »

C.A.R.E. About Respond

Respond with C.A.R.E.

The step-by-step process for teaching compassion, and putting compassion at the center of care, is called C.A.R.E.Ô The acronym stands for Connect, Assess, Respond, and Evaluate and End. We will be applying each of the steps to ourselves, our staff, and our patients and their families. This is crucial for the method to work. The …

Respond with C.A.R.E. Read More »

C.A.R.E. About Assessment

Assess to C.A.R.E.

The step-by-step process for teaching compassion, and putting compassion at the center of care, is called C.A.R.E. The acronym stands for Connection, Assess, Respond (instead of react), and Evaluate and End. We will be applying each of the steps to ourselves, our staff, and our patients and their families. This is crucial for the method …

Assess to C.A.R.E. Read More »

C.A.R.E. About Connection

Connect to C.A.R.E.

The step-by-step process for teaching compassion, and putting compassion at the center of care, is called C.A.R.E. The acronym stands for Connect, Assess, Respond, and Evaluate and End. We will be applying each of the steps to ourselves, our staff, and our patients and their families. This is crucial for the method to work. “You …

Connect to C.A.R.E. Read More »

CARE About Your Patients

C.A.R.E. About Your Patients

Imagine if… we knew what matters to our patients so we could develop plans of care that they will actually comply with and will work for them. When they know that we listen to them, treat them with respect and dignity, and care about their limitations and support need, we will build the trust and …

C.A.R.E. About Your Patients Read More »

CARE About Your Team

C.A.R.E. About Your Team

Imagine if… you saw the lightbulb moment when your staff understood what an individualized care plan can do for patient care. When they know you are listening to what matters to them, they will, in turn, listen to what matters to their patients. They can learn a step-by-step process to do just that – and …

C.A.R.E. About Your Team Read More »

C.A.R.E. About You

C.A.R.E. About You

Imagine if… You could learn tools to help you develop resilience and self-compassion that work. When that happens, you’ll see a “ripple effect” and your staff will become an extension of your good work. Yes, a bubble bath is nice, but nothing beats know that you and your staff are the best you can be …

C.A.R.E. About You Read More »

Welcome

Welcome!

My name is Cheryl Barnes-Neff, and I’ve been a registered nurse for over forty years. These pages will become what I hope, will help you on your journey as a front line manager. We’ll be talking about basic leadership skills, communication skills and boundary setting, holistic assessment principles, self care, and patient and staff education; …

Welcome! Read More »

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