Kindness is the foundation of positive human relationships. Kindness is also the foundation of quality anaesthesia, framing not just the goals of care but the paths we tread to reach them: kindness to our patients, kindness to one's team, and kindness to oneself. Kindness is the oxygen that sustains our practice.
"[Kindness is] helpfulness towards someone in need, not in return for anything, nor for the advantage of the helper himself, but for that of the person helped." – Aristotle, Book II of Rhetoric
Like many anaesthetists, I often fixate on outcomes. Yet, the journey usually matters as much for patients as the destination. While modern medicine makes successful outcomes the lowest bar, the hospital experience shapes the patient's entire perception of care, sometimes turning a medical success into a perceived failure. When we centre our practice on kindness, we elevate both process and outcome, giving them equal weight.
Too often, we equate quality anaesthesia with technical excellence: precise techniques, rapid turnover, stable vitals, and adherence to best practices. We audit hard markers like pain scores and discharge times. Yet this reductionist approach misses the cornerstone of healthcare: kindness.
When we view our practice through the lens of kindness – not empathy, for it helps no one for the anaesthetist to experience the same pains and fears as their patient – we reorient our decisions around "how can I help this person?" with a clarity of purpose unburdened by personal gain. This perspective expands our care to embrace the whole person under our care. For instance, taking a few extra minutes to explain the procedure to an anxious patient or keeping a family informed and reassured are acts of kindness that impact a patient's experience.
Patient fears before anaesthesia and surgery become just as essential to address as the technical aspects of care. Technique choices are no longer made for the convenience of the anaesthetist or hospital but rather for the needs of the patient. Perioperative care rooted in kindness recognises the interconnection between patient experience and patient outcomes – the two factors that truly matter to those under our care.
This practice of kindness extends beyond the patient. It reshapes and reorients our engagement with our team and ourselves. Kindness is a glue that binds a team together, encouraging a sense of unity and shared purpose.
Kindness to our team means fostering a culture of supportive communication: listening to concerns, acknowledging contributions, and responding to mistakes with constructive compassion. How often do you thank your assistant and surgical team at the end of a list?
Kindness becomes even more critical in moments of crisis. Everyone in the room likely shares your stress and looks to you for professional and emotional leadership. Maintaining calm, staying composed, and offering reassurance transform a team's performance under pressure. In a crisis, anger is a poison that corrodes collective resilience. Kindness, on the other hand, is a powerful tool that can reassure and instil confidence in the team, transforming both the atmosphere and the outcome of the crisis.
Kindness to oneself may be the most challenging form of kindness to practice. In a field where expectations are high, self-compassion is essential as we struggle to accept imperfect outcomes or personal errors. We must see mistakes not as failures but as opportunities for growth. The long hours, the high-intensity work, a sometimes-capricious health system, and the unpredictability of anaesthesia all contribute to burnout. Getting lost in our vocation can be easy and insidious, but we must recognise that life cannot be all work. Our families, our friendships, and our health must take priority. Kindness to ourselves is not indulgence; it is self-preservation. By practising self-kindness, we acknowledge our own value and well-being, prevent burnout and ensure we can continue providing the best care to our patients and team.
In our demanding profession, perhaps the best advice is simple:
"Be a little kinder than you have to." – Emily Jenkins.
When we practice kindness – to our patients, our team, and ourselves – we create an environment where care is more than just a technical exercise. We cultivate a virtuous cycle: supported team members provide better patient care, and well-cared-for patients make our work more fulfilling. Kindness in anaesthesia can lead to improved patient outcomes, enhanced team dynamics, and a more satisfying professional experience for all involved.
When we are kind to ourselves, we have the emotional resources to extend that kindness to others. In anaesthesia, as in life, kindness is not just a virtue – it's the vital sign reflecting our practice's health. Kindness is an act of compassion that elevates routine care, benefiting everyone involved.
