Elaine Lee
I am a midwife of 20 years and am a Senior Lecturer at the University of Dundee, responsible for internationalisation in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. I am a lead educator with the SISSC
Activity
-
I think it's important to remember that it's his baby, and that we only have the midwife's view on the father's behaviour. For me it's about helping people to look after their babies safely rather than saying what they should and shouldn't do.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
How do you feel about Sue's comment that she is compassionate with those who deserve it?
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
Bereavement is a complex area of compassionate care because individual responses and needs vary so much. Are there techniques from the previous weeks that you could use to help here? we would all want to be compassionate but how would we achieve that?
-
Elaine Lee replied to Margaret T
@MargaretT In that way it's the sharing of knowledge with others that gives them power.
-
Sounds lovely.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Karen McGuffie
I suspect you're not alone with that.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Geetha Iyer
I suppose it's about listening to other perspectives rather than doing what other people say.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
There are so many good examples here. It realy does show that our experience of compassion can be quite subjective and individual.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
Good to see we still have more people joining the course. Welcome. I hope you will share your ideas with your fellow learners.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Nicola Gibson
Should a badge make a difference? If the obvious thing to do is introduce yourself and your role then that should happen anyway.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Christopher Hunt-Law
Do you think that's always the case or has it been your experience?
-
Is it just the layout? What is it about waiting rooms and reception areas that causes people to be silent, even when they know each other?
-
Elaine Lee replied to Suzanne Stewart
It's true that context is a factor in the extent to which we can use these tools.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
These are all great contributions. Even reading some of them (Duran Duran!) is transporting me to another time and place.
-
There have been a few comments about dental practice and whether or not compassionate approaches are embedded. I wonder why dentistry has not traditionally focused on this.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Simon Stinchcombe
We will see if we can get you the information in another way. Apologies. That's very frustrating.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Jane Watson
Do you think perhaps we make assumptions that people are more willing to question professionals?
-
It's great to see that you found them helpful.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Karan Simson
Do you think it is coincidence that there is congruence in the different frameworks that support practice.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
Thank you for all your contributions so far. There are lots of examples around friends and family. This makes me wonder about ways of ensuring the people are not denied access to the impotyant people in their lives when they need them most. In the past, healthcare in particular hasn't been good at that. Is it getting better?
-
Elaine Lee replied to Alison Steven
This is lovely. I don't think this is all that different from the horse. Yes the horse itself was big but all that was required was for the staff to wheel a bed into a car park. Perhaps it's just about seeing what's possible and being open to that.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Jane Briscoe
This is an interesting experience. Would you say that the compassion was in recognising this helped you, or the fact that the nurse recognised your autonomy?
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
Welcome to those of you who are just getting started. Nice to see you and to see the range of backgrounds.
-
Elaine Lee replied to kirsty robinson
Interesting last point. I hope the workload level stays manageable and the environment remains happy.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Una M
Are you able to share the study name?
-
What about choice? What if they don't want to complete it or don't see it as useful? How do we meet their needs?
-
Elaine Lee replied to Una M
Could this be covered better by asking, how are you today? Is there anything I need to know?
-
Elaine Lee replied to Iain McKinnon
Does this link back to the concept of the grand gesture?
-
Elaine Lee replied to Gail Ross
I love that. What an inspired approach to communicating.
-
Elaine Lee replied to kirsty robinson
This is a very thoughtful post. Is it in your job that you're feeling the senses are being more fulfilled? What has changed?
-
And not being the only one who wants to change.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Kirsty Gibson
Why do you think that is? Could you lower your threshold for celebration or is it more complicated than that?
-
Elaine Lee replied to Heidi Ripplinger
Might this approach support you to achieve this?
-
Elaine Lee replied to Allison B
Would being more conscious or deliberate about it help increase consistency?
-
Why do you think that is?
-
Elaine Lee replied to C Fraser
@CFraser It's not so much the compassion but specific gaols that you might identify to achieve compassion such as introducing yourself to patients. You might set some SMART outcomes relating to that goal.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
There are some really good contributions here. Thank you for engaging so well and keep up the good work. Great sharing of ideas and perspectives.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Timothy Carey
I don't think this is an extreme view. It's an expression of person-centredness isn't it?
-
Elaine Lee replied to Linda Fisher
So who looks after you?
-
Elaine Lee replied to Orla Sullivan
Your example is very interesting. Small gestures are often without the need for resources, so how do we ensure that something bigger, that would benefit more people over a sustained period of time, period receive the investment required? Does compassion always have to be free or easy?
-
Elaine Lee replied to Allison B
This sounds like a very instinctive approach to compassion.
-
This is a really good example of where it's the little things that are often the most impactful in showing compassion.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
Good morning to everyone and welcome to the course. It's nice to see some introductions already. I'm looking forward to the next three weeks.
-
That last one is an interesting question. There must be some tatistics on general drinking habits fr the total population somewhere but I haven't found them. It is interesting that the general trend for younger people drinking less is also present in Scotland so perhaps the mental health picture in that regard will change over time.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
Some really good examples there. Thank you.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Lauren Bird
Thank you for sharing those Lauren
-
It's the result of having such small numbers of female prisoners but yes it will be hard for some families to visit.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Santhani M Selveindran
I think that generally speaking I've been pleasantly surprised at how much impact the ban has had, particularly in bars and restaurants. I didn't expect adherence to be so good.
-
@CiaraRoss It's interesting how healthcare services are organised around chunks of chronological age as if a birthday suddenly changes the individual into someone else.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
Some interesting thoughts. The question is really about whether being pregnant or being a mother puts women under too much scrutiny rather than men not being involved. If men were more involved (and it sounds like their not) I wonder if the balance of behavioral scrutiny would be better.
-
Elaine Lee replied to edna munro
I'm glad you found the activity helpful. There is often more going on that is initially obvious.
-
Australia is interesting because not only do you have the issue of the variatn for First Nations people but you take remote and rural to a whole new level! We have large parts of Scotland that are uninhabitable but we're small. The issue of scale in Australia is fascinating in terms of health and social inequalities.
-
There is an impact issue in the fact that so much of Scotland's population lives in Glasgow and the surrounding area as well. Huge variation even in Greater Glasgow.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
Some interesting comments here. The factors are definitely linked. Socioeconomic status certainly has an impact on environmental factors at an individual level (and at other levels). It's certainly a complex picture.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
Welcome everyone. Good to see such an interesing range of backgrounds. I look forward to interesting discussions as the course progresses.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
Thank you very much for your positive comments. We have really enjoyed working with you all and are delighted you've found it to be a helpful course and a good learning experience. We look forward to seeing you on future courses and if you haven't completed the post-course survey, we would be very grateful if you could do that. We value the feedback (and use it!)
-
Interesting. Thank you. The letter was really just a structure using examples of the way people articulate their own experiences so that we weren't limiting expressions of compassion to the way we understand them.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
It's really good to see everyone finding something useful in what we've looked at so far. There will be more next week for you to think about and apply.
-
You can always write something on the padlet board if the cards don't work.
-
Do you think that making people happy is the result of good leadership or its purpose?
-
Why creepy? That's an interesting perspective?
-
Elaine Lee replied to Pamela Wilson
It is possible to download an 'unzipper' app if you need to use your ipad.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
It's really great to see that you've all taken things away from this week's learning. The 7Cs have certainly made an impact. It always useful to have a practical tool or technique to use in your practice.
-
Elaine Lee replied to catriona manby
Do you have confidence that your feedback will be used to improve things?
-
Elaine Lee replied to Susan Laing
That's a pity. They downoad as a zip file. What were you downloading them onto?
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
There are a lot of really good comments here, and lots of engagement with the senses framework concept. It makes for such interesting reading. Thank you and keep up the excellent work!
-
Elaine Lee replied to William Neish
It is interesting that the modelling of poor behaviour often has more traction than modelling the good practice everyone starts with. I wonder why this is.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
Music is a really important part of my life so I think this is a great activity. I've just been having a listen to some of your choices. Quite a varied range!
-
Elaine Lee replied to Toke Bambi
That's a very good point and cultural issues play an important part in how death is discussed or otherwise. You would have to think whether this would be useful or not in your context.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
Just a reminder that the letter is not from a single person but is made up of the words and phrases that real people have used when articulating a positive experience of care. I think the need to thank others, even for something that should be taken for granted, is a natural response.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Stephen Furner
I agree that chalk might not help but talk does and modern education involves a lot of discussion these days (at least it does here). Getting students to talk about care and compassion can help them engage with the concepts, don't you think?
-
I do think that approach has changed. If nurses and others talk to patients that would be seen as a good thing. The issue quite often appears to be lack of time to do so.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Donna Wint
In recent years in the UK the term client has been used more widely (in midwifery I prefer to call them women). The reason for this is not to imply a money relationship but to imply that the health service is just that: a service. It suggests a level of control and autonomy for the individual, or at least that's the aim.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
Wow! It's fantastic to see so many comments and discussions. Lots of these comments show real insight and a lot of thought. I wish I could reply to all of you but I'm reading them all and look forward to continuing to do so over the next few weeks.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
Reading these comments I'm taken back to the discussion about whether compassionate care can be taught (and I believe it can). Many of these words relate to an individual's personality and are not easily taught. How might we apply them to the actual caring interaction so that they can be taught as skills? These are things we will consider in later steps.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
Some nice images and thoughts on the board so far.
-
That's exactly what we will try to do in this course, Karen. We hope that sharing effective aproaches will lead to improvements in care.
-
I agree and the focus of this course is actually learning from effective compassionate care so we do move on from the more negative aspects early on.
-
If compassion cannot be taught, does that mean people can't change? That's an important question for me.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Lee Scott
Do you think there is potential for you to influence that through this course fo example? Would it offer a discussion point with your carers?
-
Elaine Lee replied to Susan Wellings
I think it is likely that there will be quite a range of experiences discussed over the course. It is interesting to see the levels of variation experienced.
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
Welcome everyone who has joined so far. No doubt there will be more as the week progresses. I look forward to the discussions.
-
Welcome Annah. Great to see learners from overseas. We had a lot of international learners last time and we hope you enjoy the course.
-
Welcome Lee, we're very happy to help avoid mushy brain!
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
Thank you for all your kind comments and for your participation in the MOOC discussons. We have very much enjoyed working with you and hope that you will join us on future MOOCs.
-
Population-based statistics often hide very large variation because they're designed to inform policy rather than individual action.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Lisa Allerton
Lisa, your taxi driver is correct that the two largest employers are the NHS (and social care sector) and the University of Dundee. I'm not sure why that makes Dundee a less attractive place to live though. We very much hope the V&A will be a focal point for increased economic activity in Dundee. There's no reason why it wouldn't.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Brian Edhouse
No, that's very true. We hope that some of the projects we've highlighted show there is more than talk going on, but it's a very slow process.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Serena B
Cost will always be an issue but one of the things we've tried to highlight (albeit briefly) is that reducing inequalities actually leads to efficiencies and savings. Onwards and upwards!
-
Elaine Lee replied to Allison Ridge
Thanks Allison. We're really pleased you enjoyed it and found useful examples to share.
-
Is that regardless of where they live?
-
Elaine Lee replied to Allison Ridge
Wasthere any commentary on the anomaly with those on the aged pension?
-
Elaine Lee replied to Allison Ridge
Tha sounds like a relly good project. Do you know why the client group doesn't tend to interact with dental services?
-
The statistic around previous pregnancies is the reason that the service introduced LARC (long acting reversible contraceptive) because multiple pregnancies are more likely in women with more chaotic lives.
-
Elaine Lee replied to Lucy Webster
Inequalities themselves do contribute to this.
-
Elaine Lee replied to richard rudland
We have been surprisingly successful in the UK in terms of the smoking ban. I almost can't remember what it was like to eat in a smoke-filled restaurant. I think the main driver was public opinion and the issue of passive smoking. It became unacceptable.
-
I wonder if calorie count will have an impact more than stating units of alcohol?
-
I think that's an interesting point. Do sunnier countries have lower alcohol abuse rates? In Australia, for example, drinking has traditionally been seen as a cultural thing partly because the weather is sunny and hot. They have developed very particular laws around the sale of alcohol to try to reduce alcohol intake (although drive-through bottle shops are...
-
Elaine Lee made a comment
These are all really good ideas. It will be good to discuss further in the week 3 discussions.
-
Elaine Lee replied to richard rudland
Given the work on plain packaging for cigarettes, could this approach be transferred to unhealthy foods?
