Kindness and its relevance to everyday life: Some considerations for mental health nurses

Qualities such as kindness, geniality, and graciousness are not obviously well-practiced in contemporary daily interpersonal encounters; and when they are—because of their often quiet nature—they are not lauded and praised like apparent bravery or heroism. Similarly, kindness is rarely listed in the index of mental health texts let alone discussed as a seminal quality that can make a valuable contribution to nursing. On the other hand, we are sure that patients, visitors, students, junior nurses, and new staff members appreciate most small kindnesses shown them, especially when they feel unsure in a setting is that is unknown and scary at times. Is this simply because kindness is unfashionable and squeezed out of social awareness and discussion, or is it because it has such a low profile, or is enacted in fleeting ways as often by people with low professional status as those who are deemed experts or important leaders?