Relationship Between Psychiatric Nurses’ Resilience and Empathic Tendencies

Objective: Resilience associated with empathy and increases nurses’ job satisfaction and reduces burnout. This study aimed to determine the relationship between resilience and empathic tendencies of nurses working in the psychiatry service. Methods: This study is descriptive and correlational. The study was conducted with 101 nurses working in a psychiatric state hospital between May 2017 and June 2017. Study data were collected using an information form, Resilience Scale for Adults, and Empathic Tendency Scale. Statistical analysis was conducted using frequency, mean, Pearson’s and Spearmen’s correlation analyses, and linear regression analysis. Results: Nurses’ resilience and empathic tendencies were above the median (126.84±16.09) and 70.03±7.89), respectively. A positive, weakmoderate level, linear relationship was found between the scores of resilience and empathic tendency scales. A linear relationship was found between empathic tendency and perception of future, social competence, and social resources. No linear relationship was found between structured style, perception of self, or family cohesion. Multiple linear regression analysis found that the social competence subscale was the variable that predicted the Empathic Tendency Scale score. Conclusion: The study detected that psychiatric nurses social competence, a subscale of resilience, was effective in the nurses’ empathic tendencies. It is recommended to improve nurses’ social competences through practices that will improve the quality of the interaction between the patient and nurse, and nurses’ empathy and resilience, which have significant effects on the patients’ recovery time.

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