Conveying compassion through attention to the essential ordinary.

AIM: To discover some of the means by which nurses let older people know that they sense their suffering and are willing to try to relieve or at least reduce it. METHOD: A purposive sample of seven nurses employed in long-term care in Canada was recruited by network sampling. Data from unstructured interviews and participant observations were analysed and themes identified. FINDINGS: The overarching theme identified was attention to the essential ordinary, with two sub-themes being 'attention to the little things' and 'keeping the promise to never abandon'. CONCLUSION: Paying attention to the little things, and the resulting patient-centred approach that this care provided, seemed to send a message to patients that they had value. When nurses were able to enhance the esteem needs of patients in this way they also found meaning in their work and a sense of professional fulfilment.