Hu Hsiao-Ling, Kuo Chien-Lin, Wang Shou-Yu, Chuang Yeu-Hui
School of Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Tri-Service General Hospital Songshan Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.
J Nurs Manag. 2024 Nov 8;2024:3072064. doi: 10.1155/2024/3072064. eCollection 2024.
Empathy is a fundamental component of the therapeutic relationship between healthcare providers and patients and has the potential to yield significant benefits, including heightened care satisfaction, enhanced care quality, and improved mental well-being for patients. As nursing assistants (NAs) are primary direct care providers in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), it is necessary to understand NAs' views on empathy in their care provision for residents, but a gap exists in the literature regarding NAs' perspectives on empathy in this context. In this study, we aimed to explore perceptions of empathy among NAs in LTCFs. A qualitative approach was applied in this study. Through purposive and snowball sampling, 18 NAs who provided care for residents in six LTCFs in Taiwan were recruited. Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted using a semistructured interview guide, and data were analyzed using a content analysis. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board. All participants signed a written informed consent form prior to the interview. Four themes encompassing 11 categories were generated including "being fundamental to caregiving to establish trust and enhance quality care," "practicing altruistic behavior in the pursuit of ethical caregiving," "cycling empathic flow in care," and "facing challenges in delivering empathetic care." NAs in LTCFs viewed empathy as an essential element of the caregiving process. They saw empathy as selfless care, assistance to others, and alleviation of residents' suffering. Understanding residents' emotions, thoughts, and needs, active listening and compassionate engagement were vital to expressing empathy. However, NAs faced challenges in expressing empathy due to demanding tasks, time limitations, and insufficient knowledge and communication skills. In addition, emotional desensitization further complicated the provision of empathic care. The findings of this study can provide information for nurse managers and directors to understand NAs' perspectives on empathy and difficulties when providing empathic care in the long-term care context.
同理心是医疗服务提供者与患者之间治疗关系的基本组成部分，有可能带来显著益处，包括提高护理满意度、提升护理质量以及改善患者的心理健康。由于护理助理是长期护理机构（LTCFs）中的主要直接护理提供者，有必要了解护理助理在为居民提供护理时对同理心的看法，但关于护理助理在这种情况下对同理心的观点，文献中存在空白。在本研究中，我们旨在探讨长期护理机构中护理助理对同理心的认知。本研究采用了定性研究方法。通过目的抽样和滚雪球抽样，招募了18名在台湾六个长期护理机构为居民提供护理的护理助理。使用半结构化访谈指南进行面对面深度访谈，并采用内容分析法对数据进行分析。获得了机构审查委员会的伦理批准。所有参与者在访谈前签署了书面知情同意书。产生了包括“是建立信任和提高护理质量的护理基础”、“在追求道德护理中践行利他行为”、“护理中循环同理心流程”以及“在提供同理心护理中面临挑战”在内的四个主题，涵盖11个类别。长期护理机构中的护理助理将同理心视为护理过程的基本要素。他们将同理心视为无私的关怀、对他人的帮助以及减轻居民的痛苦。理解居民的情绪、想法和需求，积极倾听和富有同情心的互动对于表达同理心至关重要。然而，由于任务繁重、时间限制以及知识和沟通技能不足，护理助理在表达同理心方面面临挑战。此外，情感脱敏使提供同理心护理变得更加复杂。本研究的结果可为护士长和主任提供信息，以了解护理助理在长期护理环境中提供同理心护理时的观点和困难。
