Abstract

The purpose of this study was to characterize nurses’ empathic attitudes towards end-stage cancer patients with fatigue. Data were collected from six end-stage cancer patients with fatigue through participant observation and semi-structured interviews, and qualitatively and descriptively analyzed. Through analysis, 144 codes and 18 subcategories were identified, which were classified into six categories : ［respecting patients’ will and self-esteem in a natural manner］, ［being considerate of patients’ anxiety about the future that drains their energy］, ［sympathizing with patients’ true feelings that are difficult to express and speaking for them］, ［caring about patients as much as possible at all times］, ［understanding changes in patients’ conditions even without much complaint from them］, and ［providing responsible care based on one’s professional knowledge and experience］. Based on these categories, nurses’ empathic attitudes may be characterized as “dedication to try to remove the pain so that it does not overlap” and “high nursing competence based on palliative care experience”.