ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the importance of excellence in compassionate nursing care and how nurses can take a lead in creating a culture of caring. It explores why we believe excellence in compassionate nursing care should be an essential feature of nursing practice. The chapter discusses the importance of ensuring excellence in compassionate nursing care, particularly in today's healthcare environment. It is essential for patients and clients, but also for nurses, who can find it difficult to accept the fact that they are not always able to give people the time that they need. However, in many areas of nursing practice, patients move through the system so fast that there is less opportunity for nurses to build even fleeting relationships. Meyer (2009) considers that this fast pace and the demands on nurses that take them away from direct nursing care are key factors that stand in the way of meaningful relationships.
