Showing empathy?

Nurses General Nursing

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Alright, so today was my 2nd day of nursing school (so far its awesome :) ). Soon we will start "role playing" and one of the things we're going into is showing empathy. I was wondering if anyone can give me an example of empathy being used? That would be awesome and very helpful. How exactly should I go about this. I'm asking because I feel like I could mess that up (yeah i know dumb thing to mess up). The thing is, I'm sure that if I were with a real person, then this would come naturally. However, we are doing this with mannequins and I just know it wont come naturally because I cant really take a mannequin THAT serious (or another student) haha. So an example/idea would be great!

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
What do you feel when you look at this turtle?

empathy.jpg

once again you kill me!!!!!!!!!:lol2::lol2::lol2:

OUCH!!!!!!!!!

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Okay, so someone tells me about their experience. What would be something I would/should say?

Being a supervisor......my main purpose is the complaint fairy. I am to attempt to smooth over "issues" before they implode. MOst people just want to know they have been heard, that you are interested (even if you are not), and you are there to help them......

Mr. Mannequin, that sounds very frustrating. I hear your anger and frustration in what you are saying. I cannot say I now how you feel because I have not had an experience like that. But, I am here to help you........What can I do to help you.....You need to take care of you first or you won't be able to help anyone else......What do you need from me.......

Open body language, arms open, lean slightly forward..........if it sounds corney.........use it!

This is so strange to me...practicing empathy on a mannequin...all you can really do is talk to it because it's just a mannequin lol...but sometimes talking isn't the right thing when you are actually with another human being who is in pain. When I am with someone in pain, I do a lot of just listening and "mmmhmm"s and then I may ask a question like "How do you feel about that?" or something like that. But you can't exactly have that kind of convo with a mannequin.

I'm enjoying reading the answers from the experienced nurses out there. I agree with you OP that it would probably come naturally with a patient.

Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho.

Sometimes silence and listening is the best thing we can do. Just don't use the words "why" and "I understand."

Don't ask anything that would elicit a yes or no answer from you mannequin....LOL.

Even though we're using humor here, your teacher will probably not, she will be assessing your communication skills.

Don't use closed ended sentences like this - "is there anything I can do for you?" That would get a No/Yes answer from your patient. Reword the question so your patient/Mannequin will have to say something other than yes or no.

Your book will have examples. Good luck and have fun!

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Alright, so today was my 2nd day of nursing school (so far its awesome :) ). Soon we will start "role playing" and one of the things we're going into is showing empathy. I was wondering if anyone can give me an example of empathy being used? That would be awesome and very helpful. How exactly should I go about this. I'm asking because I feel like I could mess that up (yeah i know dumb thing to mess up). The thing is, I'm sure that if I were with a real person, then this would come naturally. However, we are doing this with mannequins and I just know it wont come naturally because I cant really take a mannequin THAT serious (or another student) haha. So an example/idea would be great!

The basic thing about empathy is that you are able to identify with the feelings the patient is experiencing, yet, able to seperate yourself by providing the necessary care ordered for them. Maybe an example can be what was told to us: We know that those cute little babies HATE to get stuck by needles and it is painful for the parents to watch as well. Of course, we will explain to the parents what we are doing and why, not throw the baby around like a rag doll, etc... But...we also know that we have to draw the blood, administer the vaccinations, start the PICC line or whatever is required because we wish to increase the chances of a positive outcome in that baby's health. If we are too repulsed to do that because we don't want to physically hurt that baby, then, it can be acting against the better interest of improved health, protection, etc..

Empathy can mean that we know when to listen, when and how to introject our plan while respecting that patient's right to their feelings. Treat them with dignity, etc. Sympathy can lead to us taking away the independence of that patient's right by enforcing our own feelings if we are not careful-even with the best intent in mind. Hope this helped a bit.

@Flying ICU RN: I feel bad for it :(

Yes, but you can easily place yourself in the turtles predicament, that's empathy.

Yes, but you can easily place yourself in the turtles predicament, that's empathy.

seriously, don't mean to split hairs, but i see it as sympathy towards the (very traumatized) turtle.

for all we know, myrtle (our turtle) may be thinking, "oh crap, how am i going to get up?"

or, "why me? what did i ever do to deserve this?"

we just don't know what she's feeling.

dang, she could even be dead.

but either way, we feel badly.

and that to me, is sympathy.

while i appreciated the joke and its light-heartedness, i got really sad seeing that picture.

hope myrtle is off and 'running'.:)

leslie

but either way, we feel badly.

and that to me, is sympathy.

Of course, and you can also have both of these emotions for those in your charge. For a typical humane health-care professional, these are interchangeable.

"Myrtle", I am sure was rescued by the photographer. The legs were extended and toes flared in the struggle to turn over.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

totally off subject......hey flying icu....have you ever read the nursing journal of jocularity???????? i am betting that you have .....if not check it out...

[color=#0e774a]www.journalofnursingjocularity.com/[color=#767676]

[color=#767676]

[color=#767676]you kill me!!!!

totally off subject......hey flying icu....have you ever read the nursing journal of jocularity???????? i am betting that you have .....if not check it out...

[color=#0e774a]www.journalofnursingjocularity.com/

[color=#767676]you kill me!!!!

actually no, i was not aware of it until this moment. my occasional transgression from the seriousness of what we do stems from several factors. for one, as you can well imagine my background as a navy vet, airline mechanic and pilot exposed me to much of what is called "ready room humor", think top gun, or as my wife likes to call it "pigs on parade."

at work, my co-workers love me because i maintain a proper balance of professional decorum, along with a high degree of competence without showmanship, which allows me to wait for just the right moment and circumstances to occasionally strike with an appropriate brand of that ready room humor.

thanks for the link!

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
actually no, i was not aware of it until this moment. my occasional transgression from the seriousness of what we do stems from several factors. for one, as you can well imagine my background as a navy vet, airline mechanic and pilot exposed me to much of what is called "ready room humor", think top gun, or as my wife likes to call it "pigs on parade."

at work, my co-workers love me because i maintain a proper balance of professional decorum, along with a high degree of competence without showmanship, which allows me to wait for just the right moment and circumstances to occasionally strike with an appropriate brand of that ready room humor.

thanks for the link!

you're welcome! hailing from the south side of chi town........i feel ya brother! :lol2:

Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

I think empathy is being able to put yourself in someone else's place and analyze the resulting feelings. Sympathy is actually feeling badly because of the situation someone else is in, but it doesn't always allow one to analyze the resulting feelings...you just feel it! I think the very subtle difference between the two is necessary for effective professional detachment and the ability to provide interventions. But, one can have empathy and sympathy at the same time and still be effective in a nursing capacity.

I also believe that empathy implies understanding while sympathy implies shared feelings. If you don't share the feelings, you can still understand "where someone is coming from." If you don't understand where someone is coming from, you can still share the feeling, but that might not be helpful in a clinical capacity. That's why I feel that having both is not a bad thing, while just having sympathy isn't as effective.

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