title: Developing empathy in nurses: an inservice training program.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine whether inservice communication training enhanced the empathic skills of 263 nurses employed at Hacettepe University Hospital. Data were collected using a nurse information form, participants' satisfaction form, and the Empathic Communication Skill B (ECS-B) form developed by Dökmen [Dökmen, U. (1988). A new measurement model of the empathy and developing empathy by using psychodrama. Journal of Education Faculty of Ankara University, 21, 155-190]. The ECS-B was used as both a preintervention and a postintervention measure. The data were expressed as means, percentages, and standard deviations, and were analyzed using Pearson's chi-square test and repeated-measures analysis of variance. The posttest scores of nurses increased from 155.6 to 180.5, and training played a role in enhancing nurses' empathic skills with regard to all variables (P < .05). However, a more comprehensive and continuous training should be planned, and its impact on behavior and patient outcomes should be investigated.
authors.affiliation: Cebeci School for Health Sciences, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey. ancel@medicine.ankara.edu.tr
authors.forename: Gülsüm
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ançel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003479:Curriculum; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004645:Empathy; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017145:Models, Educational; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000193:education; D011577:Psychodrama; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000458:organization & administration