Factors influencing nurse’s empathy

Aim
Empathy is one of the widely appreciated qualities of a nurse. The benefit of this phenomenon is not only observed in the direct relationship with a patient but also in many other nurse’s relationships including the patient’s family, staff members, and superiors. The aim of this study was to analyze factors influencing nurse’s empathy.

Material and methods
The study was conducted in a group of 199 nurses working within the district of Gryfice in the Western Pomeranian Voivodeship. The study was carried out using a diagnostic poll method with the standardized Questionnaire of the Emphatic Understanding of Other People (KRE) and an own questionnaire.

Results
Studies have shown that only a small group of nurses had a high level of empathy (14.0%). There was a statistically significant correlation between the level of empathy among nurses and sociodemographic variables (age, place of residence) as well as reasons for the choice of the profession.

Conclusions
In the study group, nurses were mainly characterized by a low level of empathy even though they identified their attitude with sympathy for patients. According to my own research, nurses with longer work experience and the ones who live in small towns and villages show the greatest empathy. In addition, the important factors affecting the level of empathy are the choice of the profession because of its attractiveness and because of the willingness to help others.