Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative study was to clarify the process of empathy which occurs in relationships between patients and nurses in the clinical setting. The participants in this study were 5 nurses and 9 patients on an internal medicine unit of a general hospital in S city. The data was collected using a participant observation and a semi-structured interview.
The findings of this study showed that the process of empathy in the patient-nurse relationship was found to consist of three different phases. The first phase:“the initial condition of empathy.” It consists of the concern in the mind of nurses and patients. The second phase:“a stepwise development of the interrelationship” which consists of five stages. These five stages are: 1) preparations for committing to the concern, 2) groping for the concern, 3) focusing on the concern, 4) mutual action for understanding the content of the concern, 5) identifying and presenting the content from each person's viewpoint. The third phase:“the result of a process” is divided into two components. These components are nursing care based on mutual understanding about the concern and sharing the effect of the empathy process.
Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that following a step-by-step process is essential for understanding the meaning of empathy. Further, it's suggested that nursing care for the patient be delivered by following these three phases.
