Empathetic Care in the Clinical Setting

By Kyle Svee, COO & VP of Strategy

Consistent demonstration of empathy towards residents is among the strongest predictors associated with positive resident outcomes, including resident satisfaction and health-related outcomes. Showing empathy is a critical method of providing individualized care that takes a plethora of unique resident needs into consideration, therefore improving the overall quality of care. There are three primary branches of affective resident empathy: cognitive, behavioral and affective. Cognitive empathy shows interpersonal sensitivity and shows effective verbal and nonverbal communication which allows a staff member to get to know a resident on a deeper level and helps to foster comfort and demonstrates kindness. Behavioral empathy involves staff members demonstrating sensitivity and resident advocacy to help to alleviate pain and improve overall health. Affective empathy is shown by staff members recognizing residents as individual people and not as generalized “customers of the facility.” Nonverbal communication can be related to body positioning, eye contact, and active listening between residents and caregivers. Verbal communication can be added by mirroring resident communication, recognizing resident feelings or moods, and by asking questions to clarify resident wants and needs. Ultimately, demonstrating empathy and effective communication skills empowers healthcare staff to positively impact resident satisfaction. 

Healthcare staff can demonstrate empathetic resident care while listening to residents, providing verbal and nonverbal communication, as well as delivering a high level of individualized advocacy and good quality resident care. Maintaining resident empathy may lead to a syndrome called “compassion fatigue”, which is a type of physical, emotional, and psychological exhaustion that caregivers and healthcare staff often experience while delivering individualized empathetic resident care. Compassion fatigue may result in the caregiver and healthcare staff experiencing withdrawal, irritability, disillusionment, and moodiness. Healthcare staff exhibit a high level of compassion every day while on the job and this can contribute to “burn out.” Prevention of “compassion fatigue” and “burn out” can be alleviated by staff and caregivers providing self-care; developing hobbies, speaking to supportive people who understand their struggles, getting plenty of sleep, reading, exercising, and conducting healthy lifestyle choices. Traumatic events, minus any private health information, may be discussed with a trusted friend, co-worker, or professionals and this can greatly reduce pent up stress and frustrations. 

For some healthcare staff empathy does not always come naturally; however, empathy can be developed like any other skill. Two ways to improve caregiver empathy while on the job include practicing mindfulness or meditation and finding a strong caregiver support system among your co-workers. Mindfulness is demonstrated by making sure that you are aware of what you are doing, where you are, and what you are feeling. This helps lead the person to acceptance. Healthcare facilities can help to alleviate burn out and compassion fatigue by developing a positive workplace environment, consisting of supportive coworkers, and ensuring that staff members take appropriate breaks to recharge and reinvigorate. Demonstration of empathy has tremendous benefits for positive resident care experience and rewarding feelings of accomplishment and caregiving for healthcare workers. For these reasons it is imperative that efforts and methods to maintain consistent expression of empathy towards residents are standardized.