ABSTRACT
The concept of compassionate presence is relatively new within clinical care, unlike the term compassion. Compassionate presence is a unique subset of compassionate care. It refers to the contemplative aspect of our relationship with patients. While compassionate care can involve empathy, forming connections, helping patients with issues, being respectful, caring, and so forth, compassionate presence calls upon a unique set of skills in which the clinician moves to a more reflective and contemplative space with the patient. In 2009, George Washington University’s Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWish) held a consensus conference on competencies in spirituality and health education using the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies for medical residency education as the framework. Specific communication behaviors for compassionate presence include the practice of deep listening, curious inquiry, perceptive reflections, the use of silence in patient communication, and assessing for spiritual distress.
