Weekly Email Reminders Increase Nursing Students' Use of Empathic Communication

Abstract

Background: Empathic communication has numerous patient benefits, yet many nurses do not possess or utilize empathic communication skills.Purpose: This study compared the efficacy of 2 low-cost, low-resource-intensive interventions to increase nursing students' use of empathic communication. Methods: The study was a randomized controlled trial with a pretest, posttest, and 3-month follow-up test. Participants were assigned to 1 of 4 groups: weekly empathic communication email reminders, an empathic communication quick reference guide, both, or neither. Results: All groups showed a significant increase in empathic communication between the pretest and posttest. The group that received emails only showed a significant increase above and beyond the control group. None of the groups significantly increased or decreased their empathic communication between the posttest and 3-month follow-up test. Conclusions: Weekly empathic communication email reminders can increase nursing students' use of empathic communication above and beyond traditional lectures and class activities.