![]() ![]() Q: Is compassion the same as empathy?Ī: No, it is not. The caveat is that while it can be rewarding to be able to provide this authentic support to others, it can be difficult to continue to do so without taking specific, intentional steps to care for our own emotional well-being. Nurses are there for some of the most challenging days in an individual’s life, and we have a unique ability to provide this powerful support frequently. Our patients and their loved ones truly feel cared for when we stop trying to say the perfect thing and embrace simply being there and ensuring people feel heard, understood and validated. This includes stopping to take in their unique perspective of the situation, genuinely suspending judgment, attempting to understand another’s feelings and then communicating that understanding. Rather than focus on fixing or making patients and their loved ones feel better, shifting that focus to just feeling with them can be significantly more meaningful. We can’t take away the emotional pain with the perfect words, and to think that something we’d say will fix it is … well, unrealistic. Rarely, if ever, will the perfect words fix the painful situation in which our patients find themselves. People feel heard, supported, cared for and validated when someone is taking the time to truly walk through the steps of empathy with them. Q: What makes empathy so powerful?Ī: It’s powerful because it builds connection. I still had to have my mind on very technical nursing tasks requiring my utmost focus. I found myself in many instances in which I couldn’t take that step to empathy because it would be too emotional for me. In an emotional sense, providing authentic empathy is very taxing, especially with the frequency and intensity our roles require. We simply don’t have the time to go there, so it’s easier to default to feeling bad for someone rather than with them. In a practical sense, we may be very rushed and need to get to the next patient. Our typical reaction is to keep some emotional distance because it takes time and investment to truly step into empathy with someone. Q: Is it easy for healthcare providers to confuse empathy and sympathy?Ī: It is, especially in the moment, but I don’t think most do this intentionally. In this Q&A, she explains how empathy and developing self-compassion have impacted her career. She also shares important research on the topic. Kleber, who has worked as a neuro ICU and critical care nurse, shares her personal successes and failures with discovering empathy. The course is among our most popular learning activities with healthcare professionals. In the one-hour continuing education webinar, “Empathy 101 for Nurses: How to Care for Yourself While Emotionally Supporting Others,” Kleber explains the difference between empathy and sympathy, along with the power of having compassion for patients. One of the most important tools needed to manage those emotions is empathy, according to Kati Kleber, BSN, RN, CCRN, an accomplished nurse, author, speaker and podcaster. Nurses experience a wide range of emotions when caring for patients. ![]()
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