Humanities-Based Educational Preparation and Empathy in Novice Nurses: Critical Thinking and Analytic Practice.

ABSTRACT: Empathy has been associated with improved patient outcomes in practicing nurses, but empathy levels have been shown to decline in nursing students with increased clinical exposure. Integrating content from the humanities in the nursing classroom, not common in nursing education, supports professional empathy development and maintenance. Whether competencies gained from humanities-based liberal education courses support empathy in nursing students as they emerge into practice is not known. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental, descriptive, pilot research was to explore the relationship between humanities-based liberal education and empathy in recently graduated, baccalaureate-prepared practicing nurses ( n = 40).

Uncovering Hidden Resources: Using Historical Narrative to Teach Social Determinants of Health.

BACKGROUND: Introducing population health concepts, such as social determinants of health (SDH), into undergraduate nursing programs is essential for the development of nurses who understand the impact of social environment on health outcomes. METHOD: Story, in the form of historical narrative, was used in an introductory, sophomore-level, population health course as an exemplar of SDH and other population health concepts. Reflective verbal and written data were collected from students (n = 38) and analyzed for content. RESULTS: Student comments reflected an emerging understanding of SDH, health disparities, stigma, evidence, and advocacy, and how these concepts intersect and apply to current nursing practice. CONCLUSION: Using humanities content such as historical narrative has the potential to be a powerful exemplar for addressing multiple population health concepts in the nursing classroom. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(9):522-525.].

Community engaged service in pathophysiology and pharmacology.

When community engaged service learning (CESL) is integrated as a component of nursing education, student learning outcomes are improved. Utilizing this pedagogical strategy in undergraduate pathophysiology and pharmacology courses comes with a unique set of challenges and barriers. However, integrating this high impact, evidence-informed approach offers an opportunity for students to advance knowledge of course concepts while meeting the needs of underserved community groups. Forty-two sophomore level nursing students enrolled in pathophysiology and pharmacology completed semester long projects in the community. Student reflective responses were collected, analyzed for content, and revealed themes of perceived community connection, empathy, and empowerment to become community engaged leaders.

Inspiring Empathy and Policy Action in Undergraduate Students: Monopoly as a Strategy.

BACKGROUND: Baccalaureate-prepared nurses report low levels of confidence and fail to view policy-level advocacy as an essential role of the nurse. Innovations in baccalaureate curricula intended to bolster empathy with regard to vulnerable groups and to increase awareness of the advocacy role are essential. METHOD: Cross-sectional descriptive methods were used to explore the impact of a modified version of the game Monopoly-created to simulate a social environment of socioeconomic disadvantage-on nursing student perspectives of advocacy. RESULTS: Data were analyzed from oral debriefing and written reflections following the exercise. A content analysis was performed that revealed themes of Awareness, Emotional Response, Empathy, and Advocacy. CONCLUSION: This exercise challenged student perspectives and ultimately enhanced awareness, empathy, and intent to advocate for socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. [J Nurs Educ. 2019;58(5):298-301.].

Empathy as an Ethical Imperative.

Empathy is an often-discussed topic among nurse scientists, educators, and professional practitioners. There is a small, but growing, body of research with a focus on empathy and its direct impact on clinical patient outcomes. However, nurses continue to place value on behavioral aspects of empathy, such as understanding the thoughts and feelings of others, caring, and perspective taking (Hojat, 2016; Kunyk & Olson, 2001). These empathic behaviors are foundational to establishing the nurse-patient relationship. The nurse-patient relationship is also central to the delivery of ethical patient care (American Nurses Association [ANA], 2015). Ethical care directly reflects elements of professional empathy, such as providing compassionate care, understanding the patient's perspective, and thoughtful consideration of the needs and values of each person (ANA, 2015). Empathy and ethics are connected, and both play a vital role in the decision-making process of nurses, particularly for decisions involving some level of uncertainty that require moral reasoning or values-based judgment (Barlow, Hargreaves, & Gillibrand, 2018).

Gray Reflections: Poetry as a Pathway to Nursing Student Empathy and the Creation of Meaning in a Long-Term-Care Clinical Practicum.

The unique needs of the aging adult require caregivers who can completely comprehend the experience of this population. Purposefully educating nursing students to enhance development of empathy is crucial for the provision of adequate care. Innovative pedagogical strategies that produce opportunities for nursing students to reflect on patient care experiences are an opportunity for educators to guide the creation of meaning in practice for nursing students. The use of poetry reading and writing enhances the student reflective process in clinical practicum environments and may serve as a strategy to support empathic development in nursing students.