Nurse Empathic Engagement as Perceived by Breast Cancer Patients and Changes in Patients through Empathic Engagement

Abstract

Purpose : The objectives of this study are to clarify nurse empathic engagement as perceived by patients with breast cancer and to reveal changes in patients through such an empathic engagement. Method : The study subjects were 10 breast cancer patients who had undergone surgery. A qualitative inductive analysis was performed with data obtained during semi-structured interviews. Results : Nurse empathic engagement as perceived by patients was grouped into four categories: 'humanness,' 'reciprocality,' 'interest in the patient,' and 'concern for the patient.' In addition, changes in patients through empathic engagement as perceived by themselves were grouped into four categories: 'deepening of trust,' 'positive change in outlook,' 'frankness of self-expression,' and 'decision-making with respect to treatment.' Conclusion : Results show that the patients perceived the nurse empathic engagement from the humanness and interest of the nurse, and that such a perception caused encouraging changes in the nurse-patient relationship and positive influences on the future lives of patients.