Challenging some assumptions about empathy (original) (raw)

Empathy in the Curriculum for Patient Care

Global Journal of Health Science, 2018

INTRODUCTION: Empathy on nursing education is an important element in therapeutic communication and in the type of humanized care provided, due the strengthening of the nurse-patient relationship depends on this.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the levels of empathy on nursing students of a Higher Education Institution. Cartagena de Indias/Colombia.MATERIAL & METHODS: Cross-sectional exploratory study. A sample of 320 nursing students from first to fourth year of training, to whom the Jefferson Medical Empathy Scale (JMES) was applied in the Spanish version.RESULTS: Levels of empathy are reflected more in women than in men in general. However, some values vary with respect to the average at 3.14 levels in relation to the first year of schooling.CONCLUSION: The need for a curricular redesign and favoring empathic actions by professors worthy of being imitated by students as a way of encouraging empathy when caring for patients.

The Empathy Enigma: An Empirical Study of Decline in Empathy among Undergraduate Nursing Students

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in empathy during an academic year among undergraduate nursing students. The research followed a descriptive methodology with a sample of 214 undergraduate nursing students who completed the Jefferson Scale of Empathy at the beginning and at the end of 2006-2007 academic year. Data were collected using a questionnaire. Results showed a statistically significant decline of empathy for nursing students who were exposed more than others to patient encounters during study period (F (2, 211) = 4.2, p< 0.01). Findings were consistent with those found among medical students in that nursing students' encounters with patients, though not very clear on those who had less encounters with clients. The authors suggested that changes to the modalities of teaching may be contributing a disconnect in human connections, due to an emphasis on self-directed and simulated learning experiences. Further studies to identify whether findings of the research impacted on patient outcomes and nurse-students were recommended. Keywords: Empathy enigma, clinical experience, nurse-patient relationship, nursing students.

An Exploratory Study of Factors Influencing Student Nurses’ Empathy

Journal of Nursing & Healthcare

Background: Healthcare providers’ empathetic attitude towards patient care significantly plays a role in the success of patient-centered outcome. However, across the empathy literature, there have been numerous studies which indicate that there had been a significant change in the level of empathy among nursing students in line with the length of their clinical exposure. Considering these studies, little is known on the factors affecting empathy. Hence, this study has purported to explore the factors influencing nursing students’ level of empathy. Methods: A descriptive-correlational research design was utilized. This study employed factor analysis to explore the factors which influence student nurses’ level of empathy. Data was analyzed through SPSS Version 21. Inclusion criteria are regular nursing students with at least 18 years of age, on their 15th week of RLE and are currently enrolled in the academic year 2017-2018. A total of 255 nursing students were purposively selected fr...

Evaluation of empathy among undergraduate nursing students: a three-year longitudinal study

Acta Bio Medica : Atenei Parmensis, 2019

Background and aim: An empathic approach is considered fundamental in order to ensure the identification of patient needs and to provide the appropriate care, although the studies on the development of empathic attitude during nursing course reported conflicting results. Different empathic tendencies have been observed in the two genders: many studies showed greater empathy in females. Methods: To assess empathy level of students enrolled in the academic year 2015/16 at an Italian University nursing course, the Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale (BEES) was administered at the start of Year 1 (n=118), at the mid-point of Year 2 (n=99) and at the end of Year 3 (n=67). Data were statistically analyzed. Results: Cronbach’s values were satisfactory (0.87 at Year 1, 0.89 at Year 2, 0.79 at Year 3), confirming the good internal reliability of BEES. The nursing students obtained a total BEES mean ± SD score of 37.0 ± 19.5 at Year 1, 33.5 ± 22.6 at Year 2 and 35.4 ± 16 at Year 3, without any s...