“In our fast-paced, high-tech health care system we must be reminded that health care is about people and relationships. The Medicine of Compassion can be used by all health care educators to show the central elements of the art of medicine; compassion, listening, and communication. Bravo!”.

Lanyard K. Dial, M.D.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, Medical Director, Ventura County Medical Center


"Terrific! For the first time compassion is presented as a skill which any health care professional can learn.

Jane Metiu, RN, MSN, Professor of Nursing,
Santa Barbara City College”


“Throughout history, compassion, caring, and love have been the foundation of healing. Without them, medical science and technology are inadequate. The Medicine of Compassion reminds us that these factors remain crucial in health care, as the greatest healers have always known”

Larry Dossey, MD. Author: Reinventing Medicine and Healing Words
Barbara Dossey, PhD, RN Author: Florence Nightingale: Mystic, Visionary, Healer and Holistic Nursing.


“A valuable tool for any educator in health care. The principles shown are powerful. I have consistently seen my students’ lives transformed by putting such compassion into action. Not only does this benefit their professional lives in the field of health care, it also improves their relationships with friends and family.”

Paula Bruice, Ph.D. Senior Professor,
Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara
Advisor to the UCSB Health Professions Association

The Medicine of Compassion is excellent! This is practical compassion, and it is fundamental to building the partnerships with patients that produce better health care outcomes and better patient safety. Hospitals can improve the quality of care in a wide range of areas if they take this message to heart.”

Elizabeth Di Giacomo-Geffers RN MPH, CNAA, BC
Di Giacomo-Geffers and Associates

“A great video for those who are just starting out in health care – and an excellent training tool for instructors who want to encourage compassion. The art of conveying compassion to patients is clearly shown as a practical, learnable skill.”

Anna Bissell, Clinical Manager
Oncology Unit
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital

"I love the way this video gives a clear organization to the elements of compassion. The hunger for the human touch is well demonstrated and the family healing segment is very poignant. The pace and feeling of the video is just right, and the instruction is clear – beautiful work!."

Anthony A. Allina, M.D.
Internal Medicine and Family Practice


"Unequivocally, The Medicine of Compassion will deepen staff awareness of our patients’ needs. Examples of staff and patient interaction throughout the film clearly illustrate the keys to skillful and sensitive communication. Implementing these skills will enhance our professionalism and make us better human beings at the same time."

Rev. Kevin Jones, M.Div., Director,
Spiritual Care And Education
Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center


"Your film is very much needed and will be a great asset to any health care training program. When I became ill with cancer I learned what it was like to be treated as a disease and not a person. Your lessons in empathy are an excellent way to ensure that practitioners are more aware of the impact that their behavior has on
healing."

Judy Mahoney, Ph.D., Psychologist
University of California, Irvine College of Medicine

How do you teach Compassion?

According to Karen and Simon Fox, the best way to teach compassion is not to teach, but to inspire through real-life examples. Just as Adventures in Caring's volunteers have learned their skills from personal experiences, the camera follows doctors, nurses and care-givers into the world of real situations, real challenges and real emotions.

The video shows how compassion forms a bridge between the two very different worlds: the world of the busy health care professional and the anxious, uncertain world of the patient. When compassion is present patients feel confident about the care they receive and health care staff experience greater satisfaction when working in a partnership with patients.

This package includes:


u 45-minute DVD or VHS-tape.
Note: An abbreviated 30-minute version (excluding credits) is included on every tape or disk.
u 48-page Leader Guide with instructions on how to use the video as the basis for a 60-minute or 90-minute class, or for a 3-hour workshop. To custom-design your own class additional discussion questions, class exercises, and video index are included, plus resources for continued learning and suggestions for measuring progress.
u Handouts - formatted for easy copying. Three pages summarize the essential points of the video and expand upon them.

Participants learn how to:

u Create rapport, listen well, and extend compassion even when busy
u Approach emotionally sensitive situations with confidence.
u Discover a patient's reasons and resources for healing.
u Avoid the pitfalls of inappropriate communication
u Earn the trust, respect and appreciation of those in their care.

Communicating with Compassion is an ideal resource for:


u Hospitals and Medical Centers
u Hospices
u Long-Term Care Facilities
u Clinics and Medical Offices
u Emergency Services
u Professional Associations
u Nursing, Medical &Dental Schools
u Pre-Professional/Undergraduate Courses

About the production of Communicating with Compassion:

The video is the result of 20 years of pioneering work in the human side of health care by Karen and Simon Fox, a team of volunteers & medical advisors - and video producer & composer Bent Myggen of VisionEars.com. Together they have created a DVD training program that illustrate the personal, subjective, emotional dimension of healing.

Several unusual filming and editing techniques were utilized in Communicating with Compassion. (and all other AiC productions):

u When filming on location no script or direction of subjects were used.
u All interviews were also unscripted
u Bent and Simon asked questions from, and behind the camera so our interviewees are looking directly into the lens, giving the viewer a much more personal impression than in a typical two-camera interview-setup.
u Finally, the editing and musical scoring is created simultaniously. This achieves a strong emotional flow for the whole production and sets the stage for the viewer's personal experience.

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“I love this video! It's a wonderful candid example of compassion at work in a variety of health care settings. It shows the humanity and joy we can find - even in the tougher situations - if we approach them in the right way.".

Abbey Gaske, M.D.
Urology Group of Southern California


"A Wonderful follow up to the The Medicine of Compassion. It stimulates a discussion on more complex situations where demostrating compassion can be difficult."

Craig Luzinski, RN, MSN, CHE

"Compassion is often forgotten in the skill driven curriculums of nursing schools. This program brings some much-neede attention to the core of nursing. The scenarios were informative and genuine. Thank you for providing quality programs for nurses from every generation"

Joleen Marrufo, RN
Clinical Educator
Parkview Medical Center,
Pueblo, CO

"What is so special about this video is seeing actual situations in real-time. I tell my students that there are hints and tips I can give them, but in the end it comes down totrusting their ability to be present and opservant in each situation. This video demostrates and inspires that".

Luise Sipos, RN
Patient Representative,
Good Samaritan Hospital,
Los Angeles

“An opportunity to see what a profound difference human caring makes in the lives of others! Real life situations show how to engage with others in a way that cares for their spirit, their emotions, their humanness. I will be using Compassion in Action as a teaching tool for professional and volunteer caregivers.”

Peggy Matteson, Ph.D., RN, FCN,
Commissioned Minister of Health, United Congregational Church
Chair, Department of Nursing, Salve Regina University, Newport, RI



"The sense of revelation that I and my collegues had while watching this video - what a learning experience! I hope allnew caregivers see this video. It reminds usof why we do what we do to give LOVE where it is needed most.".

Charlotte Dullea, RN
Subacute Unit,
Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital

"Compassion comes naturally when people are suffering. But what about when those people are upset or difficult to be with? Is it possible or practical to extend compassion when the going gets tough?

Compassion in Action shows the art of communicating with patients when difficult emotions arise. Using real-life footage from authentic situations, the video gives a fresh look at an age old problem: How to keep caring when patients are difficult. Viewers learn new approaches and gain confidence, encouragement and motivation for being effective in difficult interactions"

Simon Fox, Executive Producer
The Medicine of Compassion

This package includes:

A 43-minute DVD with 12 chapters, each illustrating different communication challenges in caregiving. Plus an optional introduction from the Executive Producer to give your audience a powerful context for your session.

A 128-page Leader Guide shows how to use the video as a starting point for a discussion or seminar. It includes a proven Five-Step Training Program to cultivate compassion using group dialogue, group exercises, individual practice and self-evaluation. Also included are seven discussions, a video time index, and elements to custom-design your own seminars with suggestions for a single one-hour class, a 2-4 hour seminar, or a series of seminars.

Handouts formatted for easy copying. Five pages summarize the essential points of the video and expand upon them for in-depth discussion and training.
Access to website resources for continued learning, updates and new materials such as: additional handouts, visual aids, key links, discussion groups, and recommended reading.

Audiences see:
Authentic examples of how experienced caregivers respond to patients who are:

• Uncooperative • Afraid of losing their autonomy • Confused • Grieving
• Having unrealistic expectations • Forgetful • Unable to speak • Argumentative
• Frustrated • Angry • Feeling sorry for themselves • In a coma • Dying Young

Benefits / Skills that directly relate to improvements in:


Patients engaging intheir own healing process.

Staff morale and teamwork.

Cultarally competent care

Patient safely

Patient satisfacion scores

Medical outcomes

Uses:

Compassion in Action appeals to a wide range of audiences, especially those who interact with ill, injured or disabled people. It will help more experienced caregivers remember why they chose to serve. At the same time, the film shows good examples for new caregivers to learn from. Group leaders, mentors and instructors can use the film to make compassion visible to their teams. Compassion in Action is a great starting point for stimulating discussions and trainings.
It puts the topic of compassion on the table in a non-threatening, highly inspiring way.

Compassion in Action is an ideal resource for:

In-service Education at:
• Hospitals and Medical Centers • Long-Term Care Facilities
• Clinics & Medical Offices • Emergency Services • Professional Associations
Professionals Schools:
• Nursing • Medical • Pre-Professional/Undergraduate Courses

About the production of Compassion in Action:

The video is the result of 20 years of pioneering work in the human side of health care by Karen and Simon Fox, a team of volunteers & medical advisors - and video producer & composer Bent Myggen of VisionEars.com. Together they have created a DVD training program that illustrate the personal, subjective, emotional dimension of healing.

Several unusual filming and editing techniques were utilized in Communicating with Compassion. (and all other AiC productions):

u When filming on location no script or direction of subjects were used.
u All interviews were also unscripted
u Bent and Simon asked questions from, and behind the camera so our interviewees are looking directly into the lens, giving the viewer a much more personal impression than in a typical two-camera interview-setup.
u Finally, the editing and musical scoring is created simultaniously. This achieves a strong emotional flow for the whole production and sets the stage for the viewer's personal experience.


 

Also available from Adventures in Caring:

Communicating with Compassion: How to Communicate in Ways that Ease the Pain and Lift the Spirit. A best-selling 40-minute video shows volunteers and lay caregivers how to approach emotionally sensitive situations with confidence. (More info)

What Can I Say? A Guide to Visiting Friends and Family Who are Ill. A 94-page book, now in its 3rd edition, helps you find the right words and actions to bring comfort to those who are suffering and avoid the most common mistakes made when visiting the sick. (More info)

The Medicine of Compassion: Core Skills for the Human Side of Health Care. An award-winning 45-minute video shows four core skills that create rapport, improve listening and extend compassion to patients. Candid scenes show how busy healthcare professionals build bridges from their world to the world of their patients. (More info)

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