Emphatic Tendency and Affecting Factors in Nursing Students

Abstract

Background: The profound impact of empathy on quality nursing care has been recognized. Studies have shown that there has been little improvement in nurses' communication skills, and that they should work to enhance this area. Therefore, it is very important for qualified nursing care to determine empathic tendency and factors that affect in nursing students, so to teach empathic approach and professional values, to develop correct communication and helping skills to the students in nursing education. Objectives: In this study it was aimed to determine empathy tendency in nursing students and factors that affect emphatic tendency. Methods: The sample of this study that is sectional and definitive consisted of 225 students who received education in Nursing Department during 2013-2014 education year in Adıyaman University School of Health. Research data was collected with Personal Information Form and Emphatic Tendency Scale (ETS).Results :It was determined that 51.2% of the students participating in the survey were in the 20-22 age group, 65.3% were female and44.4% of them had 9 and close friends. It was determined that the average ETS score of the nursing students was 68.2 ± 10.3.The average ETS score of the female students was 69.3 ± 9.7, which was statistically significant difference (p = 0.028) than male students (66.1 ± 11.2). The average ETS score of the students who preferred nursing was 71.1 ± 8.0, and it was found to be statistically significantly higher than students have chosen nursing by family orientation, coincidence and other reasons (p = 0.001).Conclusion: According to the results of this study, it was seen the empathic tendencies of the nursing students are moderate and the average ETS score of the students are affected by the age, sex, place of living, number of close friends and reasons for choosing the profession.

İletişim Becerisi ve Empati Düzeyleri: Sağlık Bölümü Öğrencileri Örneği

“…[10,18] Similar to the results of the study by Kanbay et al [21] we determined that such variables as age, marital status, the high school graduated, and active participation in social activities did not affect communication skills and emphatic tendency. However, Ister et al [8] found that emphatic tendencies of the students were found to be affected by age, gender, the place of residence, the number of close friends, and the reasons for choosing this profession. Communication style varies by culture and gender [17] The ETS scores differed in terms of gender in both departments (p<0.05).…”

“…In another study conducted by Kanbay et al [21] there was no difference between genders in contrast to this study, while there was a difference in terms of gender in other studies in which female students were found to be more successful. [3,8] It was also determined that students who were satisfied with their profession could communicate more successfully and exhibited more empathic tendency than those who were not. Communication skills and empathy level scores of students who reported having difficulty in daily interactions in our study were found to be as low as the findings of those in other studies.…”

The Effect of Intercultural Nursing Training on Nursing Students’ Intercultural Sensitivity and Empathic Tendency Level: Randomised Controlled Trial

“…13 İster and Altınbaş (2016) also found moderate levels of empathic tendencies for nursing students. 27 In the study by Yiğitbaş, Deveci, Açık, Ozan, and Oğuzöncül (2013) that evaluated the empathic tendencies of health education students, ETS mean score of the students was 66.07, ETS mean score of nurses who worked with Özcan (2012) was 65.95, and Avcı, Aydin, and Ozbasaran (2013) stated this mean score as 67.66. [28][29][30] The fact that the cultural sensitivity and empathic tendency of the nurses were at moderate level for nurses makes also us think the necessity of cultural education, as well as the need for increasing the ability for empathy in the trainings to be provided for the students.…”