Humility in health care

Author – Nora Zinan
First published – 2021
Source
Major Concepts

humility, health care, patient-provider relationship, QIAN, health care practice, self-reflection, teachability, servant leadership, praise of others, active listening

Typology

This is considered a model because it outlines structures of humility that can be operationalized on multiple levels of health care practice

Brief Description

The Humility in Health Care model synthesizes prior knowledge into a collection of humility structures and behaviors that can be incorporated into health care practice and inform decision-making. The Humility in Health Care Model expands and combines the concepts of cultural humility, servant leadership, and the Chinese concept “QIAN.” It also identifies ways to create a regular practice of these behaviors on the personal/interpersonal, leadership, systems and policy levels. It discusses the benefits of operationalizing humility, forces that favor humility, and barriers to practicing its behaviors.

The structures of humility include:

  • Self-reflection and Critique
  • Asking Questions
  • Active Listening
  • Learning and Teachability
  • Praise of Others
  • Service

These behaviors can be practiced on multiple levels of health care service including:

  • Personal/Interpersonal
  • Leadership
  • Systems
  • Policy

Suggested ways to operationalize humility include –

Personal/Interpersonal/Leadership Levels:

  • Monthly self-reflection/critique and as needed basis
  • Humility breaks
  • Professional development to practice asking questions and active listening
  • Add value to others
  • Provide service
  • Engender trust—transparent and shared decision-making, team approach, clear information, withholding judgements

Systems and Policies Levels:

  • Consider new paradigms to provide care
  • Document shared decision-making
  • Cultivate a culture of humility by allowing time for self-reflection and critique, practice, sufficient time for patient interactions, openness to new ideas and paradigms
  • Reward actions that lift others up and provide service
  • Include criteria for humility behaviors in annual review tools
  • Evaluate patient satisfaction and make changes
  • Develop reimbursement mechanisms for alternative therapies/new paradigms
  • Evaluate the effect of a regular practice of humility behaviors

Clinical Relevance:  A regular practice of humility behaviors has the potential to increase patient and provider satisfaction, improve patient outcomes, reduce misdiagnosis and lower health care costs.

Primary Source

Zinan, N. (2021). Humility in health care: A model. Nursing Philosophy: An International Journal for Healthcare Professionals, 22(3), e12354. https://doi.org/10.1111/nup.12354

About the Author

Nora Zinan, DNP, MSPH, AHN-BC, is a retired Associate Professor of Nursing from the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, CT. Nora holds degrees in Nursing and Public Health and certifications as an Advanced Holistic Nurse and Clinical Aromatherapist.