Nurses experience a wide range of emotions when caring for patients.
One of the most important tools needed to manage those emotions is empathy, according to Kati Kleber, BSN, RN, CCRN, an accomplished nurse, author, speaker and podcaster. In the one-hour continuing education webinar, "Empathy 101 for Nurses: How to Care for Yourself While Emotionally Supporting Others," Kleber explains the difference between empathy and sympathy, along with the power of having compassion for patients. The course is among our most popular learning activities with healthcare professionals. Kleber, who has worked as a neuro ICU and critical care nurse, shares her personal successes and failures with discovering empathy. She also shares important research on the topic. In this Q&A, she explains how empathy and developing self-compassion have impacted her career.
Q: Is it easy for healthcare providers to confuse empathy and sympathy?
A: It is, especially in the moment, but I don't think most do this intentionally. Our typical reaction is to keep some emotional distance because it takes time and investment to truly step into empathy with someone. In a practical sense, we may be very rushed and need to get to the next patient. We simply don't have the time to go there, so it's easier to default to feeling bad for someone rather than with them.
In an emotional sense, providing authentic empathy is very taxing, especially with the frequency and intensity our roles require. I found myself in many instances in which I couldn't take that step to empathy because it would be too emotional for me. I still had to have my mind on very technical nursing tasks requiring my utmost focus.
Q: What makes empathy so powerful?
A: It's powerful because it builds connection. People feel heard, supported, cared for and validated when someone is taking the time to truly walk through the steps of empathy with them. Rarely, if ever, will the perfect words fix the painful situation in which our patients find themselves. We can't take away the emotional pain with the perfect words, and to think that something we'd say will fix it is ... well, unrealistic.
Rather than focus on fixing or making patients and their loved ones feel better, shifting that focus to just feeling with them can be significantly more meaningful.
This includes stopping to take in their unique perspective of the situation, genuinely suspending judgment, attempting to understand another's feelings and then communicating that understanding. Our patients and their loved ones truly feel cared for when we stop trying to say the perfect thing and embrace simply being there and ensuring people feel heard, understood and validated. Nurses are there for some of the most challenging days in an individual's life, and we have a unique ability to provide this powerful support frequently. The caveat is that while it can be rewarding to be able to provide this authentic support to others, it can be difficult to continue to do so without taking specific, intentional steps to care for our own emotional well-being.
Q: Is compassion the same as empathy?
A: No, it is not. I like to explain the major difference like this: sympathy is feeling bad for someone, empathy is feel bad with someone, and compassion is the next step of feeling with someone by taking part in alleviating their suffering.
Only when we've been authentically empathetic do we know what compassionate act will best serve the individual. So while empathy can be provided while compassion is being practiced, they are not one in the same.
Q: What resources would you recommend to nurses who want to understand empathy?
A: One of my favorite resources for empathy is Dr. Brene Brown. She has published quite a bit of research and authored many books on the subject. She is able to combine the science of the research with the art of caring, which is something nurses can relate to and appreciate.
Q: What is self-compassion, and why is it important for nurses to practice it?
A: Self-compassion differs greatly from being compassionate for others. It is much more than being kind to ourselves, which is the assumption many make. It essentially consists of three elements:
- Being kind to ourselves rather than being overly judgmental.
- Recognizing that our challenges/experiences make us part of common humanity rather than isolate us from one another.
- Approaching negative emotions in a mindful and balanced way rather than over-identifying with them.
Dr. Kristin Neff, along with others, has published extensive research on the impact on self-compassion, and there is quite a bit of research substantiating its positive effects on nurses in particular.
Nurses who practice authentic empathy are at much higher risk for burnout and compassion fatigue, which is not a surprise. However, nurses who practice self-compassion are much less likely to burn out and suffer from compassion fatigue.
It's a very interesting concept and shown to be somewhat of a protective measure for those of us whose every day at work entails experiencing the trauma of others. To learn more about empathy in nursing, watch the continuing education webinar "Empathy 101 for Nurses: How to Care for Yourself While Emotionally Supporting Others."
Take these courses to support your patients while caring for yourself:
Compassion Fatigue (1 contact hr) Compassion fatigue (CF) occurs when a caregiver experiences what experts call "secondary traumatic stress" in reaction to caring for those who are themselves suffering from traumatic events. Although caregivers don't actually experience the event (as is the case with post-traumatic stress disorder), they experience the event emotionally by caring for the patient. CF has become more widely recognized as a problem that many nurses face. In a study of 1,100 bedside nurses at a major tertiary care center, CF was found to be associated with a number of factors and to be significantly prevalent among the nurses. CF creates physical and emotional distress, but it's not just a personal issue -- it's a patient safety issue as well. Research has shown that CF may increase the risk of medical errors. This module will help nurses prevent, identify and manage compassion fatigue. Psychological Support for Patients With Cancer (1 contact hr) The National Comprehensive Cancer Network notes that nearly all patients experience some level of distress at diagnosis, throughout treatment and beyond into survivorship. And up to 47% of those diagnosed with a new or recurrent cancer show a significant level of distress. Unfortunately, less than half are identified and referred for psychological support. These psychological needs must often be addressed before meeting the patient's informational needs. Healthcare professionals play a vital role in assessing and screening for psychological distress. This module is designed to enhance the expertise, effectiveness and confidence of clinicians who are working with oncology patients in any setting. Emotional Intelligence Helps RNs Work Smart (1 contact hr) Emotional intelligence is a new concept in nursing; initial research studies indicate that emotional intelligence is an important part of successful nursing practice. Although research on emotional intelligence is at the developmental stage, regardless of the theoretical framework used, there is agreement that emotional intelligence includes the concepts of emotional awareness in relation to self and others, professional efficiency and emotional management. Applying emotional intelligence concepts to nursing has the potential to support professional nursing practice and to improve patient outcomes. This module will discuss the concept of emotional intelligence, describe how it can help nurses enhance their work lives and provide strategies for developing one's own emotional intelligence.
