Empathic Tendencies and Empathic Skill Levels of Nursing Students: A Descriptive and Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted to determine empathic tendencies and empathic skill levels of nursing students.

Methods: The population of this study consisted of 580 nursing students. Interviews were conducted with 412 students. The data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Empathic Tendency Scale and the Empathic Skill Scale (ESS). Evaluation of the data was performed with calculation, t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Results: Among the students, 64.8% (n=267) were within the 20-22 age group, 87.6% (n=361) were female, and 27.2% (n=112) were enrolled in the fourth year. The mean of the Empathic Tendency Scale was 68.84±8.42, and the mean score on the ESS was 139.67±20.11. Empathic Tendency Scale and Empathic Skill Scale scores were statistically significant according to gender, age and class year (p<0.05). The mean scores of the female students on the Empathic Tendency Scale and Empathic Skill Scale were the highest for those in the 23-25 age groups and in the fourth year.

Conclusions: The result concluded that mean scores on the Empathic Tendency Scale and Empathic Skill Scale of nursing students were at a medium level. It is important to support students during their professional education.

Keywords

• Students,nursing,empathy

Hemşirelik Öğrencilerinin Empatik Eğilimleri ve Empatik Beceri Düzeyleri: Tanımlayıcı ve Kesitsel Çalışma

Abstract

Amaç: Tanımlayıcı ve kesitsel olan bu çalışma, hemşirelik öğrencilerinin empatik eğilim ve empatik beceri düzeylerinin belirlenmesi amacıyla yapılmıştır.

Yöntem: Bu çalışmanın evrenini 580 hemşirelik öğrencisi oluşturmuş, 412 öğrenciye ulaşılmıştır. Veriler kişisel bilgi formu, Empatik Eğilim Ölçeği ve Empatik Beceri Ölçeği aracılığıyla toplanmıştır. Bulguların değerlendirilmesinde yüzdelik, t testi ve varyans analizi (ANOVA) kullanılmıştır.

Bulgular: Araştırma kapsamına alınan öğrencilerin %64,8'i (n=267) 20-22 yaş grubunda, %87,6’sı (n=361) kız öğrencidir. Öğrencilerin %27,2'si (n=112) dördüncü sınıfta okumaktadır. Öğrencilerin Empatik Eğilim Ölçeği puan ortalaması 68,84±8,42, Empatik Beceri Ölçeği puan ortalamaları ise 139,67±20,11’dir. Cinsiyetlerine, yaşlarına ve sınıfına göre Empatik Eğilim Ölçeği ve Empatik Beceri Ölçeği puanları istatistiksel olarak anlamlı düzeyde farklılık göstermektedir (p<0,05). Empatik eğilim ve Empatik beceri puan ortalamaları kızlarda, 23-25 yaş grubunda ve dördüncü sınıflarda yüksek olduğu bulunmuştur.

Sonuç: Çalışma sonunda hemşirelik öğrencilerinin empatik eğilim ve empatik beceri puan ortalamaları orta düzeyde saptanmış olup, öğrencilerin bu konuda mesleki eğitimleri sırasında desteklenmeleri gerektiği düşünülmüştür.

Keywords

• öğrenci,hemşire,empati

References

1. Han JH, Yang JY, Hwang JM. Effects of empathic ability and campus life stress on stress coping behaviors in dental hygiene students. J Dent Hyg Sci. 2017;17(5):439-446. doi:10.17135/jdhs.2017.17.5.439
2. Jang, H.S. The effects of self-disclosure and empathy on stress perception and stress coping strategy of university students. Korean Journal of Communication Studies. 2013;21(3):5-28.
3. Barret-Lennard G. The empathy cycle: Refinement of a nuclear concept. Journal of Consulting Psychology.1981;28:91-100. doi:10.1037/0022-0167.28.2.91
4. Dökmen Ü. Communication Conflicts and Empathy. Sistem Publishing, İstanbul, 1994; p.119-150.
5. Rehber E, Atıcı M. Determination of conflict resolution behaviors according to empathic tendency level of secondary school students. Journal of Çukurova University Institute of Social Sciences. 2009;18(1):323-342.
6. Uslu N, Bayat M, Variyenli N, Arıcan F, Hatipoğlu N. Orlando’nun etkileşim teorisinin uygulamada kullanımına bir örnek: Tip 1 diyabetes mellitus.Yıldırım Beyazıt University Faculty of Health Sciences E-Journal of Nursing. 2015;3(1):64-70.
7. Ferri P, Rovesti S, Panzera N, Marcheselli L, Bari A, Lorenzo RD. Empathic attitudes among nursing students: a preliminary study. Acta Biomed for Health Professions. 2017;88(3):22-30. doi:10.23750/abm.v88i3-S.6610.
8. Reynolds W, Scott B. Do Nurses And Other Professional Helpers Normally Display Much Empathy. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2000;31:226-234. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2648.2000.01242.x

9. Öz F. The relations between empathic tendency, empathic skills and academic performance of senior students of nursing. Journal of Cumhuriyet University School of Nursing. 1998;2(2):10-16.
10. Karaca A, Açıkgöz F, Akkuş D. Can empathic skills and empathic tendencies be improved by education? Example of a health school. Acıbadem University Journal of Health Sciences. 2013;4(3):118-122.
11. Tutuk A, Al D, Doğan S. Determination of communication skills and empathy levels of nursing students. Journal of Cumhuriyet University School of Nursing. 2002;6(2):36-41.
12. Yiğitbaş Ç, Deveci SE, Yasemin A, Ozan AT, Oğuzöncül AF. The empathic tendency and empathic skills of a group of students receiving health education. SDU Journal of Health Science. 2013;4(1):7-13.
13. Bekmezci H, Yurttaş Ç, Özkan H. Ebelik Bölümü Öğrencilerinin Empatik Eğilim Düzeylerinin Belirlenmesi. HSP. 2014;2(1):46-54.
14. Uncu F, Açık Y, Deveci S, Çelebi E, Oğuzöncül A, Ulaş B. Determination of empathic tendency and empathic skill levels of nursing students studying at health school. Yıldırım Beyazıt University Faculty of Health Sciences E-Journal of Nursing. 2015;3(3):1-8.
15. Richardson C, Percy M, Hughes J. Nursing therapeutics: Teaching student nurses care, compassion and empathy. Nurse Educ Today. 2015;35(5):1-5. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2015.01.016
16. Özcan H. Empathic disposition and empathic skills of nurses: Example Gümüşhane. Gümüşhane University Journal of Health Science. 2012;1(2):60-68.
17. Acaroğlu R, Duman D. The relationship between emotional ıntelligence levels and empathy skills of nursing college’s first grade students. Florence Nightingale Journal of Nursing. 2014;22(1):25-32.
18. Özyazıcıoğlu N, Aydınoğlu N, Aytekin G. The investigation of the problem solving and empathetic skills of the students in a school of health. Journal of Anatolia Nursing and Health Sciences. 2009;12(3):46-53.
19. Cevahir R, Çınar N, Sözeri C, Şahin S, Kuğuoğlu S. Evaluation of the empathic skills of midwifery students with respect to the classes they are attending. Fırat Health Services Journal. 2008;3(7):3-15.
20. Arifoğlu B, Sala Razı G. Management course academic achievement averages of first class nursing students. DEUHYO ED. 2011;4(1):7-11.
21. Montanari P, Petrucci C, Russo S, Murray I, Dimonte V, Lancia L. Psychometric properties of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy Health Professional Student's version: An Italian validation study with nursing students. Nursing & Health Sciences. 2015;17(4):483-491. doi:10.1111/nhs.12221
22. Carranza AN. Clinical Simulation Experiences in Nursing Schools: Senior Student Nurses' Empathetic Communication Ability. [Honors Thesis], Texas; 2015.
23. Çakmak A, Demirbaş EA. Review of the emphatic tendencies of university students in terms of some variables. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science. 2014;7(1):29-33.
24. Fields SK, Mahan P, Tillman P, Harris J, Maxwell K, Hojat M. Measuring empathy in healthcare profession students using the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy: health provider--student version. J Interprof Care. 2011;25(4):287-293. doi:10.3109/13561820.2011.566648
25. Nazik E, Arslan S. The investigation of the relations between empathic skills and self-compassion of the nursing students. Journal of Anatolia Nursing and Health Sciences. 2011;14(4):69-75.
26. Şen HT, Yılmaz FT, Ünüvar ÖP, Demirkaya F. Emphatic skill levels of primary health care workers. Journal of Psychiatric Nursing. 2012;3(1):6-12.
27. Saeidi S, Reza-Masouleh S, Chehrzad MM, Kazem Nejad Leili E. Empathy with patients compared between first and final year nursing students. Journal of Holistic Nursing And Midwifery. 2017;27(1):79-85. doi:10.18869/acadpub.hnmj.27.1.79
28. Mete S, Gerçek E. The Examınatıon of empathic tendency and skills on nursing students who are educated with Pbl method. Journal of Cumhuriyet University School of Nursing. 2005;9(2):11-7.
29. Çınarlı T, Koç Z, Duran L. Burnout and empathic tendency levels in emergency nurses. Eurasian J Emerg Med. 2016;15:181-186. doi:10.5152/eajem.2016.43434