ABSTRACT
Background: Healthcare professionals' empathic behaviour is an important component of quality health care. Patients' reports suggest that empathy is often lacking. Specific factors that may facilitate or inhibit empathetic behaviour have not been extensively examined. In Qatar, empathy may be affected by a completely multicultural, multilinguistic setting where healthcare professionals and patients interact.
Aim: The purpose of this integrative literature review is to provide the latest evidence on factors that influence the demonstration of empathetic behaviour of nurses and physicians toward patients and to draw general conclusions that increase understanding.
Methods: A literature search was conducted in CINAHL, Medline [Ovid], PsycINFO, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Education Research Complete, ERIC, Health Source: Nursing/ Academic databases, and Google Scholar to identify relevant studies. A total of 18 quantitative and qualitative studies that satisfied the inclusion criteria were selected to be included in the review.
Results: Three high order factors are described: organizational, personal and interpersonal, and demographic factors. Seven subfactors included: burnout, increased workload, lack of organizational support, training workshops, patient behaviour, inappropriate role modelling, and informal, experiential learning.
Conclusion: The organizational culture is strongly implicated in inhibiting empathy. Healthcare providers' empathetic responses to patients are linked and connected to a well-resourced, collegial, professional organizational environment that builds empathy towards everyone [not only patients]