Korean J Occup Health Nurs.  2024 Feb;33(1):12-25. 10.5807/kjohn.2024.33.1.12.

Effects of a Compassion Improvement Program for Clinical Nurses on Compassion Competence and Empathic Communication

• Jeong IJ
• Park MK

• KMID: 2564382
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5807/kjohn.2024.33.1.12

Abstract

Purpose
This quasi-experimental study used a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design with clinical nurses to develop a compassion improvement program and verify its effects on compassion competence and empathic communication.
Methods
The Triandis Interpersonal Behavior model (Triandis, 1980) was used as a theoretical framework, and a compassion improvement program was developed based on the ADDIE model. The experimental treatment in the program was conducted for 120 minutes per session, once a week, for a total of six sessions. The data collection and research period ranged from September 7 to November 16. It involved a pre-survey of measured variables, six sessions of experimental treatment, a post-survey, and a follow-up survey in sequence. The collected data were analyzed using the statistical program SPSS/WIN 25.0 and then based on a t-test and repeated measures ANOVA to verify the effectiveness of the program.
Results
Clinical nurses participating in the compassion improvement program showed improved compassion competence (F=8.00, p=.001) due to the cultivation of insight, sensitivity, and communication skills. In addition, the improvement in attentive listening (F=3.32, p=.024) indicated that the program was partially effective in empathic communication.
Conclusion
The compassion improvement program for clinical nurses, which was developed in this study, is expected to be useful in nursing practice. In other words, the compassion improvement program may contribute to creating a positive atmosphere in the workplace for nurses and an empathic relationship between nurses and healthcare recipients through improvement in the compassion competence of nurses. If the compassion improvement program is continuously implemented as a facilitating condition, it will greatly help prevent the turnover of clinical nurses, assist them in adapting to hospital life, and enhance the quality of nursing care.

Keyword

Clinical nurses; Program; Compassion; Competence; Communication