Empathy as an Asset By Maria Macauley “Mother and child holding hands” image courtesy of Office.com Clip Art

“How do nurses show empathy?” My Question What is empathy? What’s the difference between empathy and apathy, sympathy, compassion, pity, etc.? “How do nurses show empathy?” “Nurse hat” image courtesy of Office.com

Understanding Learning how to listen Studies “Regardless of how rude or irritating the other person is, it is always worse to be the one experiencing the personal crises.” – Katie Morales (2012) “Female nurse checking heart rate on an elderly patient” image courtesy of Office.com

Challenges of Empathy Studies It takes time. Requires our attention. Requires we push aside our own baggage. Switches our outlook from ourselves to others. “Empathy allows us to be fully human and gives others permission to do the same.” - Julie Fuimano (2010) “Nurse examining patient that is in a cast” image courtesy of Office.com

Perspective (of someone else) = empathy. Studies Perspective (of someone else) = empathy. Empathy has a positive impact on nurses. “Perspective taking enhances job satisfaction, work engagement and reduces turnover intention. Compassion does not.” - Letizia Dal Santo “Silhouette of a nurse pushing a patient in a wheelchair” image courtesy of Office.com

Methods Hospital survey of 10 patients. (It was a slow day). Casual questioning and observing. Surveys and observations.

Survey B, C, and D all have something in common. 1. Do you feel like you’re being understood by your nurse? If so, how? If not, how? 80% felt like their nurse understood them. The other 20% did not, both saying similarly that their nurse has only came in to talk to them once, and therefore can’t have a full understanding of them. 2. To you, is empathy or sympathy more important in a nurse? 100% said empathy. 3. Do you feel that your nurse… A. Hasn’t shown you much empathy? B. Takes the time to listen to and understand you? C. Explains everything to you in a clear, respectful manner? D. Has built a relationship with you? 70% said B, C, and D. 20% said A 10% said C 4. Do you expect nurses to go above and beyond just “regular care”? 100% said that they expect nurses to go above and beyond regular care. 5. What are ways that you think nurses can go above and beyond this “regular care”? 60% said: Nurses who can simply talk with them about how they’re feeling in an open, nonjudgmental environment is going above and beyond. 20% said: Nurses who try to cultivate relationships with their patients are going above and beyond. 10% said: Nurses who don’t treat their patients like patients when it comes to how they’re feeling emotionally. 10% said: A nurse that gives shots that don’t hurt. Survey B, C, and D all have something in common.

Observations Observation Interpretation Patient is laying on a bed in the hallway. Nurse smiles and puts hand on patients shoulder. The way I see it, here is where the nurse is trying to connect with her patient. By putting her hand on their shoulder, it’s as if she’s trying to give them that feeling of being cared for. Receiving a gentle touch from someone who can help you must be comforting when you’re sitting alone in a bed in the hallway. The nurse in the other room is asking questions loudly to a patient. The patient is older and must have a difficult time hearing. In order for a nurse to give her best care, she needs to know what’s wrong. She’s probably asking questions loudly so the patient can hear her and respond to her accurately. A nurse walks into a room and immediately begins to smile. To me, I saw someone who was sick of paperwork and ready to do some interactions with her patient, as if finally being able to go back to them was refreshing. Though I’m sure she’s been having a long day, she still made it a point to smile for her patient. Seeing someone smiling usually makes me smile, so perhaps a smile would be a good medication every now and then. While walking by a room, a nurse tells her patient “I know it hurts, I’m sorry.” At first I thought this was sympathy, but I peeked into the room and saw a look of distress on the nurse’s face. That instance I knew that she was internalizing the pain that her patient felt and was genuinely trying to make it better because she put herself in her patient’s shoes. I saw this just from the look on her face. You don’t see a look of distress on someone who doesn’t care. Observations Particularly, people want to be understood.

Analysis Listening to and understand patients, is what builds that important relationship. Empathy is as good a medicine as any. “Communication, councilors, desk, doctors,” image courtesy of Office.com

Analysis Empathy has nothing but a positive impact on patients and their nurses. “Knowing” and “understanding” are two very different things. “People with plus sign” image courtesy of Office.com

Closing Thoughts Should nursing professors specifically make a point to bring empathy into their teachings, even if the lesson don’t call for it? Empathy IS an asset…for everyone.

Reflection/What I Learned How to make observations…effectively. Transforming information from one medium to another. Reflection/What I Learned “Close up of a hand reaching out to help” image courtesy of Office.com

Reference Page Mother and child holding hands – close up (n.d.). Office.com. [image]. Retrieved March 28 from Office.com Nurse hat (n.d). Office.com. [image]. Retrieved March 29 from Office.com Female nurse checking heart rate on an elderly patient (n.d). Office.com. [image]. Retrieved March 28 from Office.com Morales, K. (11, 2012). The importance of empathy in nursing. Retrieved from http://www.nursetogether.com/the-importance-of-empathy-in-nursing Nurse examining patient that is in a cast Fuimano, J. (11, 2010). The importance of empathy in the workplace. Retrieved from http://www.healthecareers.com/article/the-importance-of-empathy-in-the- workplace/158315

Reference Page Silhouette of a nurse pushing a patient in a wheelchair (n.d). Office.com. [image]. Retrieved March 29 from Office.com Dal Santo, L., Pohl , S., Saiani, L., & Battistelli, A. (2014). Empathy in the emotional interactions with patients. is it positive for nurses too? Journal of Nursing Education and Practice. Retrieved from http://www.sciedu.ca/journal/index.php/jnep/article/view/3014 Communication, councilors, desk, doctors (n.d). Office.com. [image]. Retrieved March 29 from Office.com People with plus sign (n.d). Office.com. [image]. Retrieved March 29 from Office.com Close up of a hand reaching out to help (n.d). Office.com. [image]. Retrieved March 29 from Office.com