Correlation between mindfulness, empathy and compassion levels of nursing students: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: The concept of mindfulness does not attract enough attention in the field of health. Despite this, it is thought to be effective on the concept of empathy and compassion, which have an importance in nursing practices. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the correlation between the mindfulness, empathy and compassion levels of nursing students. Methods: This is a descriptive-correlational and cross-sectional study which comprised 347 students in the nursing department of a university. As data collection tools, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, the Basic Empathy Scale and the Compassion Scale. Findings: The results of the study show that no significant correlation was found between the mindfulness, total empathy levels and cognitive empathy levels of the students, and that there was a significant negative correlation between their emotional empathy levels. There was found to be a significant positive correlation between their mindfulness and total compassion levels. Discussion: The findings of this study contribute to the literature that the mindfulness of nursing students is not related to total empathy levels, but is closely related to compassion levels. Some studies in the literature support these findings. Conclusion: It is thought that knowing, teaching and developing the concepts of empathy and compassion in nursing education is important for raising nurses who can provide compassionate care with a high level of empathy. The practice of mindfulness should always have a prominent role in nursing education. Its correlation with empathy and compassion should be consistently highlighted.