"Getting into the skin": empathy and role taking in certified nursing assistants' care of dying residents.
Twenty-four percent of Americans die in nursing homes, and 80% to 95% of nursing home care is delivered by certified nursing assistants (CNAs). Interview data were collected from 27 CNAs at three facilities. Data were coded and analyzed for recurrent themes using the concepts of empathy and role taking. The results revealed that CNAs used role taking to guide their caregiving actions and to understand the emotional experience of residents. Compassionate detachment, a hallmark of empathy, was evident in effective care, but problems with the ability to detach were also revealed. Organizational factors that supported empathy and those that undermined empathy were also examined. Recommendations for improving care are discussed in this article.
Schell
Ellen S
ES
Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA. ellen.schell@nursing.ucsf.edu
Kayser-Jones
Jeanie
J
D000328:Adult; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009728:Nursing Assistants / Q000523:psychology*; D009735:Nursing Homes; D024382:Professional Role; D013727:Terminal Care; D000078329:Workforce