title: What's it all about, empathy?
abstract: This paper investigates the concept of empathy, a core element of all helping relationships. A discussion of its prevalence in the nursing literature is traced, before a discussion ensues as to whether it is a naturally acquired ability which develops with maturity, or whether it is a skill that can be taught and learnt. It is concluded that empathy remains a poorly defined, multidimensional concept which still remains not fully identified.
authors.affiliation: University of Northumbria, Newcastle, Gateshead, UK.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Archbold
mesh_terms: D004506:Education, Nursing; D004645:Empathy; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D016294:Models, Nursing; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations