Communication Skills And Empathy Levels: The Case Of Health Department Students

Abstract

Abstract:

Background/Aims:This study was carried out in cross-sectional and analytical type to evaluate empathic tendency and communication skills in nursing and midwifery students.

Methods:

The sampling of the study consisted of 574 students. An information form, the Communication Skills Assessment Scale, and the Empathic Tendency Scale were used to collect the study data.

Results:The mean score for empathic tendency was found to be 70.0±8.7, while it was 102.7±9.9 for Communication Skills Assessment Scale. The relationship between the scores related to the two scales was determined to be positively significant (p <0.05). The demographic variables (age, gender, marital status) were observed to have no effect on the mean scores for empathic tendency and Communication Skills Assessment Scale (p>0.05). No significant difference was found between the scores obtained from the scales by the midwifery and nursing students (p> 0.05). There was no significant difference between the mean Empathic Tendency Scale scores and years of nursing students (p> 0.05). On the other hand, the difference between the scale scores in both scales for students who were satisfied, partly satisfied, and not satisfied with their profession was significant (p <0.01).

Conclusions: 

In conclusion, the empathic tendency and communication skill scores of the students were found to be at a moderate level.

Keywords

• Communication Skills
• Empathy
• Empathic Tendency
• Health School
• Midwifery
• Nursing

İletişim Becerisi ve Empati Düzeyleri: Sağlık Bölümü Öğrencileri Örneği

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışma hemşirelik ve ebelik öğrencilerinde empatik eğilimve iletişim becerilerini değerlendirmek için kesitsel tipte yapılmıştır.
Gereç ve Yöntem: Araştırmanın örneklemini 574 öğrencioluşturmaktadır. Araştırma verilerinin toplanmasında bilgi formu,
İletişim Becerileri Değerlendirme Ölçeği ve Empatik Eğilim Ölçeğikullanılmıştır.
Bulgular: Empatik eğilim puan ortalaması 70.0 ± 8.7 iken İletişimBecerileri Değerlendirme Ölçeği 102.7±9.9 olarak bulundu. İkiölçek arasındaki ilişki pozitif olarak anlamlıydı (p<0.05). Demografikdeğişkenlerin (yaş, cinsiyet, medeni durum) Empatik Eğilim ve İletişim becerileri Değerlendirme Ölçeği puan ortalamaları üzerinde hiçbir etkisinin olmadığı gözlendi (p>0.05). Ebelik e hemşirelik öğrencileriarasında anlamlı fark bulunmadı (p>0.05). Ortalama Empatik eğilimpuanları ile hemşirelik öğrencileri arasında anlamlı fark yoktu (p>0.05). Diğer taraftan, memnun, kısmen memnun ve mesleklerindenmemnun olmayan öğrenciler için ölçek puanları arasındaki farkanlamlı bulunmuştur (p<0.01).
Sonuç: Sonuç olarak, öğrencilerin empatik eğilim ve iletişim becerileri puanları orta düzeyde bulunmuştur

Keywords

• İletişim becerileri
• empati
• empatik eğitim
• sağlık okulu
• ebelik
• hemşirelik

References

1. 1. Duman D, Acaroğlu R. The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence Levels and Empathy Skills of Nursing College’s First Grade Students. F.N.Hem.Derg. 2014;22:25-32.
2. 2. Bekmezci H, Yurttaş ÇB, Özkan H. Determination of Empathic Tendency Levels of Students Receiving Education in the Department of Midwifery. HSP. 2015;2:46-54.
3. 3. Ferri P, Rovesti S, Panzera N, Marcheselli L, Bari A, Lorenzo RDi. Empathic attitudes among nursing students: a preliminary study. Acta Biomed for Health Professions. 2017;88:22-30.
4. 4. Ozcan CT, Oflaz F, Sutcu Cicek H. Empathy: the effects of undergraduate nursing education in Turkey. Int Nurs Rev. 2010;57:493-499.
5. 5. Dökmen Ü. Conflicts of communication and empathy. 18th edition. Ankara: Remzi Bookstore,2010.
6. 6. Nazik E, Arslan S. Investigation of the relationship between empathic skills and self-efficacy of nursing students. Anatolian Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences. 2011;14:69-77.
7. 7. Cevahir R, Çınar N, Sözeri C, Şahin S, Kuğuoğlu S. Evaluating the empathic tendencies according to the year the midwifery students are in. Fırat Health Services Journal. 2008;3:3-15.
8. 8. Ister ED, Altınbaş Y. Emphatic Tendency and Affecting Factors in Nursing Students. Asian Pac.J.Health Sci. 2016;3:306-312.

9. 9. Pazar B, Demiralp M, Erer I. The communication skills and the empathic tendency levels of nursing students: a cross-sectional study. Contemp Nurse. 2017;53:368-377.
10. 10. Tutuk A, Al D, Doğan S. Determination of communication skills and empathy levels of nursing students. C.U.Journal of Nursing School. 2002;6:36- 41.
11. 11. Korkut F. Improving communication skills assessment scale: Reliability and validity studies. Psychological Counseling and Guidance Magazine. 1996;2:18-23.
12. 12. Dökmen Ü. Measurement of empathine based on a new model and measurement by psychodrama. A.U Journal of Educational Sciences. 1988;21:155-190.
13. 13. Zeighami R, Rafiie F, Parvizi S. Concept analysis of empathy in nursing. Journal of Qualitative Research in Health Sciences. 2012;1:27-33.
14. 14. Williams J, Stickley T. Empathy and nurse education. Nurse Education Today. 2010;30(8):752-755. 15. Yiğitbaş Ç, Deveci SE, Açık Y, Ozan T, Oğuzöncü FA. The empathic tendency and empathic skills of a group of students receiving health education. S.D.Ü Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi. 2013;4:1.
15. 16. Arifoğlu B, Razı G. Management Course Academic Achievement Averages of First Class Nursing Students. DEUHYO ED. 2011;4: 7-11.
16. 17. Korkut Owen F, Bugay A. Developing a Communication Skills Scale: Validity and Reliability Studies. Mersin University Journal of the Faculty of Education. 2014;10:51-64.
17. 18. Bingöl G, Demir A. Communication skills of Amasya health school students. Göztepe Medical Journal. 2011;26:152-159.
18. 19. Williams B, Brown T, Boyle M, McKenna L, Palermo C, Etherington J. Levels of empathy in undergraduate emergency health, nursing, and midwifery students: a longitudinal study. Advances in Medical Education and Practice. 2014:5 299–306.
19. 20. Ferri P, Guerra E, Marcheselli L, Cunico L, Di Lorenzo R. Empathy and burnout: an analytic cross-sectional study among nurses and nursing students. Acta Biomed. 2015;86(Suppl 2):104-115.
20. 21. Kanbay Y, AslanÖ, Işık E. Evaluatıon of Nursıng Students' Empathic Tendencies. International Journal of Information Research and Review. 2015;02:1244-1248.
21. 22. Tavakol S, Dennick R, Tavakol M. Empathy in UK medical students: differences by gender, medical year and specialty interest. Educ Prim Care. 2011;22:297–303.