Page 179 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

146 n EMPATHY

collaboratively with others to establish evi- seems to create an interpersonal quality that
dence-based emergency nursing resources enables individuals to release defensiveness
E for practice. Emergency nursing research and enhance health (Burhans & Alligood,
will continue increase and provide the basis 2010; Hope-Stone & Mills, 2001; Mercer &
for emergency nursing practice. Reynolds, 2002).
Emergency nurses take the lead in Carl Rogers (1957) believed that empa-
treating life-threatening and potential or thy is the ability to “sense the client’s pri-
perceived life-threatening conditions that vate world as if it were your own” (p. 4) and
face millions of patients across the nation. the ability to perceive the internal frame of
They are also prepared to deliver primary reference of another with such exactness as
care and health promotion services as well to be one with the other person’s frame of
as treating urgent care conditions. in addi- reference (Rogers, 1961). Carper (1978) cor-
tion, emergency nurses treat patients across related empathy with aesthetic knowing in
the life span from the neonate to the frail her description of fundamental patterns of
elderly. Emergency nursing is a complex knowing in nursing.
profession that encompasses a research tra- From a historical perspective, the roots
jectory that is versatile, rapidly changing, of morality are found in empathy. Being
and rigorous. Research in emergency nurs- able to empathize with potential victims
ing is growing and expanding in an effort encourages people to act and help others.
to respond to the dynamic practice of ED Empathy underlies many facets of moral
nurses. judgment and action. An instance when
empathy leads to moral action is when a
Suling Li bystander is moved to intervene on behalf
Vicki Keough of a victim; the more empathy a bystander
feels for the victim, the more likely it is that
the bystander will intervene (Goldman,
1998). The level of empathy felt toward
EMpathy another will shape one’s moral judgments
and empathic attitudes. Putting oneself in
another’s place leads people to follow cer-
Empathy is a dimension of nursing that is tain moral principles.
central to caring competence, and it is often Developmentally, there is a natural pro-
seen as an essential condition of nursing gression of empathy from infancy onward.
care. Empathy is often designated as the art At 1 year, children feel distress and will start
of nursing. Empathy in nursing is the ability to cry when they see another child cry. After
of nurses to penetrate the covert thoughts 1 year, the child will try to sooth another
and feelings of the client, to accurately inter- child that is crying. The most advanced level
pret the client’s thoughts and feelings as if of empathy emerges in late childhood when
they were their own, and to verbally and children begin to feel empathy for the plight
nonverbally convey that interpretation back of an entire group, such as the poor or the
to the client in forming a positive nurse– oppressed. During adolescence, empathic
client relationship. Empathy, appropriately understanding can reinforce moral convic-
expressed in the form of sincerity, genuine tions developed earlier in life that center on
positive regard, and sensitive understand- a desire to alleviate misfortune and injustice
ing of the client’s private world, has healing (Goldman, 1998).
potential. Empathic nursing care has been Many recent studies have explored the
shown to improve physiological and psy- biological basis of empathy. Greimel et al.
chological outcomes for clients. Empathy (2010) explored developmental changes in