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<div class="editorbox"> '''Original Editor '''- [[User:Robin Tacchetti|Robin Tacchetti]] based on the course by [https://members.physio-pedia.com/course_tutor/marissa-fourie/ Marissa Fourie]<br>
'''Top Contributors''' - {{Special:Contributors/{{FULLPAGENAME}}}}</div>
== Introduction ==
== Introduction ==
Successful communication in healthcare leads to favourable patient care and improves patients' satisfaction and independence. In addition, effective communication can protect the patient from adverse health consequences resulting from poor communication such as medication errors or contraindications. One way to effectively communicate with patients is to use emphatic communication.<ref name=":0">Babaii A, Mohammadi E, Sadooghiasl A. [https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/23743735211056432 The meaning of the empathetic nurse–patient communication: A qualitative study. Journal of Patient Experience]. 2021 Nov;8:23743735211056432.</ref>  Provider-patient empathetic communication has shown to lead to better outcomes and treatment adherence. <ref name=":1">Haribhai-Thompson J, McBride-Henry K, Hales C, Rook H. [https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/9/e063375 Understanding of empathetic communication in acute hospital settings: a scoping review.] BMJ open. 2022 Sep 1;12(9):e063375.</ref>
Successful communication in medicine leads to favourable patient care and improves patient satisfaction and independence. In addition, effective communication can protect the patient from adverse health consequences resulting from poor communication such as medication errors or contraindications. One way to effectively communicate with patients is to use emphatic communication.<ref name=":0">Babaii A, Mohammadi E, Sadooghiasl A. [https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/23743735211056432 The meaning of the empathetic nurse–patient communication: A qualitative study. Journal of Patient Experience]. 2021 Nov;8:23743735211056432.</ref>
 
== Empathic Communication ==
Empathic communication can be achieved with just a few steps. The Grossman Group has narrowed it down to 6 steps:<ref>The Grossman Group: 6 Steps To Be More Empathic, 2023. Available from:https://www.yourthoughtpartner.com/blog/5-steps-to-be-more-empathetic</ref>
# Listen without interruption
# Pause and imagine how the other person feels
# Let them know you hear them by reflecting on what they have said: “What I hear you saying is…”
# Validate feelings: “I understand that you are feeling…”
# Offer support and then close the conversation
# Follow up on how they are going once an appropriate amount of time has passed
== Components of Empathy ==
Empathic communication is achieved by listening, understanding and experiencing another person's position.<ref name=":4">Petersen AC. Empathic listening: Empowering individuals as leaders. The Journal of Student Leadership. 2019;3(2):63-71.</ref> Empathy can be further divided into cognitive, affective, behavioral and moral empathy.<ref name=":1" />
 
* Cognitive empathy refers to the ability to perceive a situation from another person's perspective beyond their own experience without judgement. This can include verbal and/or non-verbal skills and can be learned through observation and experience<ref name=":2" /><ref>Derksen F, Bensing J, Lagro-Janssen A. [https://bjgp.org/content/63/606/e76 Effectiveness of empathy in general practice: a systematic review]. British journal of general practice. 2013 Jan 1;63(606):e76-84.</ref>
 
* Affective empathy refers to the involuntary, internal response to someone else's emotional state. Affective empathy is thought to be "built-in" from birth as part of personality and disposition<ref name=":2" />
* Behavioral empathy is what follows when we see the patient. It includes an ability to understand the patient's perspective, to communicate that understanding and to then act in a therapeutic way<ref name=":7">Fourie, M. Using Empathy in Communication. Plus. 2023</ref>
* Moral empathy is the internal motivation of concern for another with a desire to act to relieve their suffering by caring and driving acts of altruism<ref name=":7" />
 
== Empathy vs Sympathy ==
Empathy is the ability to understand how someone thinks and feels and what they believe and to respond appropriately.<ref name=":2">Fuller M, Kamans E, van Vuuren M, Wolfensberger M, de Jong MD. [https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10506519211001125 Conceptualizing empathy competence: a professional communication perspective]. Journal of business and technical communication. 2021 Jul;35(3):333-68.</ref> Empathy motivates an individual to act (help) on someone else's behalf. Empathy is a choice and it can be learned.<ref name=":4" />   
 
Sympathy refers to an immediate and uncontrolled emotional reaction when a person puts themself in another person’s position.<ref name=":3">Ahmed FR, Shalaby SA. [https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S221413912200110X?token=D619ED17BD0B25793514374951760409E35FAF7EFBB141487D120527ABFA5119E1BEC7FB57392BD00A399AEA971967ED&originRegion=us-east-1&originCreation=20230421204439 Exploring empathy and self-efficacy in communication skills among nursing students: A cross-sectional study at two universities in the MENA region]. International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences. 2022 Jan 1;17:100503.</ref> To sympathise with an individual is to "suffer with them".<ref name=":6">Hardee JT. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5571783/ An overview of empathy]. The Permanente Journal. 2003;7(4):51.</ref>
 
In medicine, empathy creates a therapeutic relationship based on understanding another person and interacting accordingly. It allows the healthcare worker to make logical decisions and maintain professional objectivity regarding patient care. The clinician can "borrow" the patient's feelings to understand them but does not take the feelings on themselves. They can enter into the person's world, but are then able to remove themselves. Sympathy, on the other hand, may interfere with ethical decisions due to its emotional subjectivity. The clinician would be unable to help due to the sharing of their patient's plight.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":6" /> 
 
== Medical Empathic Care ==
In healthcare, empathic communication is often underused and misunderstood. Previously, it was referred to as "bedside manner". However, now empathetic communication is thought to be a learned, teachable skill that benefits both clinician and patient.<ref name=":6" /> Clinical empathy takes on the following characteristics:
 
# understanding the patients’ feelings, situation and perspectives and recognising the difficulties of putting oneself in their position
# communicating this understanding and confirming its accuracy
# helping the patient<ref name=":5" />
When these attributes are used in provider-patient communication, the patient receives a caring message. In addition, it impacts patients in a multitude of positive ways:<ref name=":3" /><ref>Wu Y. [https://bmcnurs.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12912-021-00535-0 Empathy in nurse-patient interaction: a conversation analysis.] BMC nursing. 2021 Dec;20(1):1-6.</ref><ref name=":1">Haribhai-Thompson J, McBride-Henry K, Hales C, Rook H. [https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/9/e063375 Understanding of empathetic communication in acute hospital settings: a scoping review.] BMJ open. 2022 Sep 1;12(9):e063375.</ref><ref name=":5">Albuquerque A, Howick J. [https://medcraveonline.com/IJFCM/the-moral-role-of-clinical-empathy-in-patient-healthcare.html The moral role of clinical empathy in patient healthcare]. Int J Fam Commun Med. 2023;7(1):11-4.</ref>


== Empathy vs. Smpathy ==
* Increases:
Empathy involves the ability to understand how someone thinks, feels and believes and respond appropriately<ref name=":2">Fuller M, Kamans E, van Vuuren M, Wolfensberger M, de Jong MD. [https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10506519211001125 Conceptualizing empathy competence: a professional communication perspective]. Journal of business and technical communication. 2021 Jul;35(3):333-68.</ref> Sympathy, in contrast refers to an immediate and uncontrolled emotional reaction when a person puts themself in another person’s position.<ref name=":3">Ahmed FR, Shalaby SA. [https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S221413912200110X?token=D619ED17BD0B25793514374951760409E35FAF7EFBB141487D120527ABFA5119E1BEC7FB57392BD00A399AEA971967ED&originRegion=us-east-1&originCreation=20230421204439 Exploring empathy and self-efficacy in communication skills among nursing students: A cross-sectional study at two universities in the MENA region]. International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences. 2022 Jan 1;17:100503.</ref> Empathy motivates one to act on someone else's behalf understanding their perspective and knowing how to help.  Sympathy is feeling sorry for someone.  Empathy can be learned and is a choice.  Empathy is accomplished by Understanding someone else's  listening, understanding and experiencing from another persons' position.<ref name=":4" />
** positive responses from patients
** patient adherence
*** approximately half of all medical recommendations (including prescriptions) are not followed by patients
** patient outcomes
** emotional health
** symptom resolution
** accuracy of a diagnosis
*** patients feel more comfortable revealing embarrassing / personal information that might help with the diagnosis
** patient safety
** patient motivation and empowerment
* Decreases:
** anxiety
** stress
**[[depression]]
** heart disease
** mortality
** hospitalisation
** morbidity


In healthcare, empathy creates a therapeutic relationship based on understanding another person and interacting accordingly.  It allows the healthcare worker to make logical decisions and maintain professional objectivity regarding patient care.  Sympathy on the other hand may interfere with ethical decisions due to its emotional subjectivity.  Empathic care sends a caring message to patients, increases patient's positive responses, decreases anxiety and contributes to improved patient outcome.<ref name=":3" /><ref>Wu Y. [https://bmcnurs.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12912-021-00535-0 Empathy in nurse-patient interaction: a conversation analysis.] BMC nursing. 2021 Dec;20(1):1-6.</ref>
In addition to the positive attributes seen in patients, empathic care can have favourable outcomes for healthcare workers. The list below details how empathic care benefits healthcare workers:


=== Cognitive and Affective Empathy ===
* Increases:
Empathy can be further divided into two cognitive empathy and affective empathy (responding to someone's mental state with an appropriate emotion)<ref name=":1" /> Cognitive empathy refers to the ability to perceive a situation from another persons perspective beyond their own experience without judgement. Cognitive empathy can include verbal and/or non-verbal skills and can be learned through observation and experience.<ref name=":2" /><ref>Derksen F, Bensing J, Lagro-Janssen A. [https://bjgp.org/content/63/606/e76 Effectiveness of empathy in general practice: a systematic review]. British journal of general practice. 2013 Jan 1;63(606):e76-84.</ref> Affective empathy refers to the involuntary, internal response to someone else's emotional state.  Affective empathy is thought to be "built in" from birth as part of personality and disposition. <ref name=":2" />
** well-being
** job satisfaction
*** feeling more connected to the patient and thus decreasing dissatisfaction with the job and health system
** communication with patients
* Decreases:
** stress
** burnout
** litigation risks<ref name=":5" />


== Empathic Communication ==
== Empathic Communication ==
According to Babaii et al., 2021, empathic communication with patients is achieved through three categories:
There are many different ways to display empathic communication in the provider-patient relationship. According to Babaii et al.,<ref name=":0" /> empathic communication with patients is achieved in three ways:


# having unique and humanistic behaviors with the patients
# having unique and humanistic behaviours with patients
#* maintaining their dignity
#* maintain their dignity
#* consider their culture and beliefts
#* consider their culture and beliefs
#* friendly behaviour
#* be friendly
#* unique way of dealing with each patient
#* adopt unique ways of dealing with each patient
# providing a happy and calm and environment for the patients
# providing a happy and calm environment for patients
#* using jokes
#* using jokes
#* being happy
#* being happy
#* pleasant environment
#* making sure there is a pleasant environment
# decreasing the patients’ fear and consolation to them
# decreasing a patient's fear and providing consolation to them
#* giving hope
#* giving hope
#* normalisation of new conditions
#* normalise new conditions
#* use of distraction and spirituality to reduce stress and anxiety<ref name=":0" />
#* use distraction and spirituality to reduce stress and anxiety<ref name=":0" />
Albuquerque et al.<ref name=":5" /> created the following steps for clinicians on how to provide empathic care:
 
# allow an acceptable amount of time to understand the patient's story
# discuss general issues
# provide encouragement
# provide verbal signals that you understand what the patient is telling you
# be physically engaged (e.g. eye contact, gestures, specific postures, appropriate touch)
# be welcoming throughout the session<ref name=":5" />
 
== Barriers to Empathic Listening ==
There are barriers that can hinder empathic communication. The following barriers can creep into conversation and should be avoided when providing an empathic ear:
* criticising
* challenging the legitimacy of the speaker’s feelings
* giving advice
* interrupting
* changing the subject<ref name=":4" />


=== Steps to Empathic Communication ===
=== Medical Barriers to Empathic Listening ===
Empathic communication can be achieved with just a few steps.  The Grossman Group has narrowed it down to 6 steps:
There is a general misconception among practising clinicians on the amount of time that emphatic communication takes. Hardee et al.<ref name=":6" /> reported a range of concerns raised by clinicians:
# Listen without interruption
# Pause and imagine how they feel
# Let them know you hear them by reflecting back what they have said: “What I hear you saying is…”
# Validate their feelings: “I understand you’re feeling…”
# Offer support and close the conversation
# Follow up after a little time has passed<ref>The Grossman Group: 6 Steps To Be More Empathic, 2023.  Available from:https://www.yourthoughtpartner.com/blog/5-steps-to-be-more-empathetic</ref>


== Barriers to Active Empathic Listening ==
* "There is not enough time during the visit to give empathy.”
(AEL) A common problem with listening is that we tend to overemphasize the physical aspect of it; we assume that if we are hearing what they are saying Empathic Listening 65 then we are being a good listener. In reality, listening is so much more than nodding our heads, not interrupting, and being a blank slate at whom they can throw their words (McClelland, 2017; Shrivastava, 2014). If basic listening is a difficult process, then it can be assumed that active empathic listening (AEL) is even harder. Knowing this, the necessity of education, especially for leaders, on common barriers to AEL is crucial. Having this knowledge will better prepare leaders and future leaders to recognize AEL barriers in their own lives and navigate a course to more empathic listening. Speaking Rate Versus Listening Rate One logistical barrier to AEL is the fact that we process words much quicker than a speaker can speak them. A 1992 study found that the average speaking rate is 120–180 words per minute whereas the average listening capacity of the brain is 500–800 words per minute (Shrivastava, 2014). This gap naturally results in excess time for our brain to wander in the listening process. In a perfect world we would use this extra time to tap into empathy, perhaps by dialing in to what the speaker’s nonverbal communication is telling us about how they are feeling. Instead, it often becomes a time where we get off track; we rehearse in our head how we will respond or become distracted by a memory their story reminds us of (Salem, 2003). Defensiveness and Shame In conflict especially, defensiveness and shame are toxic habits that fuel the conflict cycle and directly halt the empathic process. While empathy draws us to another person and allows us to accept and understand their pain, defensiveness repels us from one another, undermining any hopes of connection. When we are focused on protecting ourselves and guarding our position, listening to and validating the other side of the story is most likely not the first item on our agenda (Beckenbach, Patrick, & Sells, 2010). Shame also prevents us from exploring the other’s perspective. Note that there is a difference between shame and guilt. Guilt originates when we recognize we have caused another person distress through a particular action; we see how reparative acts, like apologizing, may restore our relationship with them. Guilt is linked to perspective taking (the goal of empathy) and motivates us to do so. Shame, on the other hand, 66 The Journal of Student Leadership condemns the whole self, resulting in personal distress. Shame tells us that the affliction we have caused another person is not because of a particular action but because we ourselves are inherently bad. Why then would we want to hear the other’s perspective and further recognize the problem that we believe we are? When shame envelops us, we don’t listen with empathy; instead, we resort to more damaging behaviors such as ignoring the problem or the person, denying responsibility, or even lashing out at the very person who needs our empathy (Leith & Baumeister, 1998). Other Barriers There are other barriers to empathy, including: criticizing, challenging the legitimacy of the speaker’s feelings, giving advice, interrupting, and changing the subject (Salem, 2003). In the vulnerability of sharing one’s story, perhaps the worst response one can receive is that of criticism. Critical phrases such as “Why did you do that?” can staunch the open flow of information sharing and may result in feelings of shame if the speaker feels that the listener is negatively judging their character and actions. Likewise, the speaker should not feel like the purpose of sharing their story is to convince the listener of the truthfulness of their feelings; they want to be trusted and validated. Furthermore, if we are interrupting, giving advice, or changing the subject, the listener may feel that we are there to listen minimally and then get our point across. These responses may communicate that we want to change them and how they do things instead of communicating understanding and support (Jones, Bodie, & Hughes, 2016; Serbin, 2013). Enablers of AEL Admittedly, we are all human, and because of this we give in to behaviors that hinder AEL. We get distracted, become defensive, shame ourselves or others, interrupt, criticize, and give advice even when we have good intentions in our listening. But, as leaders, we can do better than this. We can become agents of change in our lives and in the lives of others by learning how to overcome these barriers. The solutions to these barriers are contained within the AEL process, the steps of active listening with empathic habits woven throughout them. When acted upon, these are the habits that have the potential to transform communication, relationships, and leadership. Empathic Listening 67 Active Listening The active listening process is composed of three steps: sensing, processing, and responding. Sensing involves an active awareness of both the verbal and nonverbal, explicit and implicit information the speaker is communicating. Processing comprises synthesizing the information gained during the sensing stage into a narrative whole. The final step, responding, is the listener’s way of letting the speaker know that they hear and understand what is being communicated. This is done through verbal and nonverbal cues such as nodding one’s head, asking questions, and paraphrasing (Jones et al., 2016; Shrivastava, 2014). Together, the combination of sensing, processing, and responding contribute to the listener’s efforts to communicate empathy to the speaker. Mindfulness in the Sensing Stage In the active listening process, leaders can utilize the following empathic concepts to encourage a more compassionate flow of communication. David Sauvage, a corporation consultant, states that, “The basis of empathy is emotional self-awareness” (as cited in Manning-Schaffel, 2018). This means we have to sense and accept our own thoughts and emotions before we can do the same in our communication with others. In support of this claim, research shows that individuals who score high on mindfulness also score high on empathy and that vulnerable (empathic) listening is dependent on the listener’s understanding of what is happening internally for them (Jones et al., 2016; McClelland, 2017). In summary, if we are to accurately interpret and articulate someone’s emotions back to them, we must first be able to internalize and comprehend our own emotions. Part of this emotional intelligence is being able to differentiate when we are feeling guilt versus shame. In leadership, identifying shameful thoughts is an important step in correcting our thinking. Rather than resorting to defensiveness or retreating from a situation (which are common side-effects of shame), we can instead engage in reparative acts (i.e. apologizing, listening to the other person’s narrative) that produce empathic results in our relationships. 68 The Journal of Student Leadership Self-Exper<ref name=":4">Petersen AC. Empathic listening: Empowering individuals as leaders. The Journal of Student Leadership. 2019;3(2):63-71.</ref>
* “It is not relevant, and I’m too busy focusing on the acute medical problem.”
* “Giving empathy is emotionally exhausting for me.”
* “I don’t want to open that Pandora’s box.”
* “I haven’t had enough training in empathetic communication.”
* “I’m concerned that if I use up all my empathy at work I won’t have anything left for my family."<ref name=":6" />


These statements highlight that clinicians feel empathic communication is time-consuming. However, unlike sympathy, empathy does not require emotional effort on the clinician's part, so it does not need to be emotionally exhausting or awkward. It only takes a moment to offer a gesture of empathy.<ref name=":6" />




#  
This video below by Roma Sharma explains empathic listening: 
{{#ev:youtube |IYkpnYzxz4k}}


== Resources ==


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYkpnYzxz4k&t=5s
* [[Communication Skills]]


== References ==
== References ==
<references />
[[Category:Communication]]
[[Category:Rehabilitation]]
[[Category:ReLAB-HS Course Page]]
[[Category:Course Pages]]

Latest revision as of 23:15, 8 May 2023

Original Editor - Robin Tacchetti based on the course by Marissa Fourie
Top Contributors - Robin Tacchetti and Jess Bell


Introduction[edit | edit source]

Successful communication in medicine leads to favourable patient care and improves patient satisfaction and independence. In addition, effective communication can protect the patient from adverse health consequences resulting from poor communication such as medication errors or contraindications. One way to effectively communicate with patients is to use emphatic communication.[1]

Empathic Communication[edit | edit source]

Empathic communication can be achieved with just a few steps. The Grossman Group has narrowed it down to 6 steps:[2]

  1. Listen without interruption
  2. Pause and imagine how the other person feels
  3. Let them know you hear them by reflecting on what they have said: “What I hear you saying is…”
  4. Validate feelings: “I understand that you are feeling…”
  5. Offer support and then close the conversation
  6. Follow up on how they are going once an appropriate amount of time has passed

Components of Empathy[edit | edit source]

Empathic communication is achieved by listening, understanding and experiencing another person's position.[3] Empathy can be further divided into cognitive, affective, behavioral and moral empathy.[4]

  • Cognitive empathy refers to the ability to perceive a situation from another person's perspective beyond their own experience without judgement. This can include verbal and/or non-verbal skills and can be learned through observation and experience[5][6]
  • Affective empathy refers to the involuntary, internal response to someone else's emotional state. Affective empathy is thought to be "built-in" from birth as part of personality and disposition[5]
  • Behavioral empathy is what follows when we see the patient. It includes an ability to understand the patient's perspective, to communicate that understanding and to then act in a therapeutic way[7]
  • Moral empathy is the internal motivation of concern for another with a desire to act to relieve their suffering by caring and driving acts of altruism[7]

Empathy vs Sympathy[edit | edit source]

Empathy is the ability to understand how someone thinks and feels and what they believe and to respond appropriately.[5] Empathy motivates an individual to act (help) on someone else's behalf. Empathy is a choice and it can be learned.[3]

Sympathy refers to an immediate and uncontrolled emotional reaction when a person puts themself in another person’s position.[8] To sympathise with an individual is to "suffer with them".[9]

In medicine, empathy creates a therapeutic relationship based on understanding another person and interacting accordingly. It allows the healthcare worker to make logical decisions and maintain professional objectivity regarding patient care. The clinician can "borrow" the patient's feelings to understand them but does not take the feelings on themselves. They can enter into the person's world, but are then able to remove themselves. Sympathy, on the other hand, may interfere with ethical decisions due to its emotional subjectivity. The clinician would be unable to help due to the sharing of their patient's plight.[8][9]

Medical Empathic Care[edit | edit source]

In healthcare, empathic communication is often underused and misunderstood. Previously, it was referred to as "bedside manner". However, now empathetic communication is thought to be a learned, teachable skill that benefits both clinician and patient.[9] Clinical empathy takes on the following characteristics:

  1. understanding the patients’ feelings, situation and perspectives and recognising the difficulties of putting oneself in their position
  2. communicating this understanding and confirming its accuracy
  3. helping the patient[10]

When these attributes are used in provider-patient communication, the patient receives a caring message. In addition, it impacts patients in a multitude of positive ways:[8][11][4][10]

  • Increases:
    • positive responses from patients
    • patient adherence
      • approximately half of all medical recommendations (including prescriptions) are not followed by patients
    • patient outcomes
    • emotional health
    • symptom resolution
    • accuracy of a diagnosis
      • patients feel more comfortable revealing embarrassing / personal information that might help with the diagnosis
    • patient safety
    • patient motivation and empowerment
  • Decreases:
    • anxiety
    • stress
    • depression
    • heart disease
    • mortality
    • hospitalisation
    • morbidity

In addition to the positive attributes seen in patients, empathic care can have favourable outcomes for healthcare workers. The list below details how empathic care benefits healthcare workers:

  • Increases:
    • well-being
    • job satisfaction
      • feeling more connected to the patient and thus decreasing dissatisfaction with the job and health system
    • communication with patients
  • Decreases:
    • stress
    • burnout
    • litigation risks[10]

Empathic Communication[edit | edit source]

There are many different ways to display empathic communication in the provider-patient relationship. According to Babaii et al.,[1] empathic communication with patients is achieved in three ways:

  1. having unique and humanistic behaviours with patients
    • maintain their dignity
    • consider their culture and beliefs
    • be friendly
    • adopt unique ways of dealing with each patient
  2. providing a happy and calm environment for patients
    • using jokes
    • being happy
    • making sure there is a pleasant environment
  3. decreasing a patient's fear and providing consolation to them
    • giving hope
    • normalise new conditions
    • use distraction and spirituality to reduce stress and anxiety[1]

Albuquerque et al.[10] created the following steps for clinicians on how to provide empathic care:

  1. allow an acceptable amount of time to understand the patient's story
  2. discuss general issues
  3. provide encouragement
  4. provide verbal signals that you understand what the patient is telling you
  5. be physically engaged (e.g. eye contact, gestures, specific postures, appropriate touch)
  6. be welcoming throughout the session[10]

Barriers to Empathic Listening[edit | edit source]

There are barriers that can hinder empathic communication. The following barriers can creep into conversation and should be avoided when providing an empathic ear:

  • criticising
  • challenging the legitimacy of the speaker’s feelings
  • giving advice
  • interrupting
  • changing the subject[3]

Medical Barriers to Empathic Listening[edit | edit source]

There is a general misconception among practising clinicians on the amount of time that emphatic communication takes. Hardee et al.[9] reported a range of concerns raised by clinicians:

  • "There is not enough time during the visit to give empathy.”
  • “It is not relevant, and I’m too busy focusing on the acute medical problem.”
  • “Giving empathy is emotionally exhausting for me.”
  • “I don’t want to open that Pandora’s box.”
  • “I haven’t had enough training in empathetic communication.”
  • “I’m concerned that if I use up all my empathy at work I won’t have anything left for my family."[9]

These statements highlight that clinicians feel empathic communication is time-consuming. However, unlike sympathy, empathy does not require emotional effort on the clinician's part, so it does not need to be emotionally exhausting or awkward. It only takes a moment to offer a gesture of empathy.[9]


This video below by Roma Sharma explains empathic listening:

Resources[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Babaii A, Mohammadi E, Sadooghiasl A. The meaning of the empathetic nurse–patient communication: A qualitative study. Journal of Patient Experience. 2021 Nov;8:23743735211056432.
  2. ↑ The Grossman Group: 6 Steps To Be More Empathic, 2023. Available from:https://www.yourthoughtpartner.com/blog/5-steps-to-be-more-empathetic
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Petersen AC. Empathic listening: Empowering individuals as leaders. The Journal of Student Leadership. 2019;3(2):63-71.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Haribhai-Thompson J, McBride-Henry K, Hales C, Rook H. Understanding of empathetic communication in acute hospital settings: a scoping review. BMJ open. 2022 Sep 1;12(9):e063375.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Fuller M, Kamans E, van Vuuren M, Wolfensberger M, de Jong MD. Conceptualizing empathy competence: a professional communication perspective. Journal of business and technical communication. 2021 Jul;35(3):333-68.
  6. ↑ Derksen F, Bensing J, Lagro-Janssen A. Effectiveness of empathy in general practice: a systematic review. British journal of general practice. 2013 Jan 1;63(606):e76-84.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Fourie, M. Using Empathy in Communication. Plus. 2023
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Ahmed FR, Shalaby SA. Exploring empathy and self-efficacy in communication skills among nursing students: A cross-sectional study at two universities in the MENA region. International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences. 2022 Jan 1;17:100503.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Hardee JT. An overview of empathy. The Permanente Journal. 2003;7(4):51.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Albuquerque A, Howick J. The moral role of clinical empathy in patient healthcare. Int J Fam Commun Med. 2023;7(1):11-4.
  11. ↑ Wu Y. Empathy in nurse-patient interaction: a conversation analysis. BMC nursing. 2021 Dec;20(1):1-6.
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