The empathy-compassion matrix: Using a comparison concept analysis to identify care components.

Empathy and compassion are words commonly seen throughout nursing education. There is much discussion as to the meanings of these terms and if these concepts can be taught to nursing students. The continued emergence of a technology-dependent society may pose challenges in helping tomorrow's nursing students to develop empathy and/or compassion for patients. Using Walker an Avant's concept analysis method, this paper seeks to define both terms, compare their meanings and relationship to the nursing profession, provide potential teachable moments relative to nursing education, and determine if one can be present without the other.