Association between Turkish clinical nurses' perceptions of individualized care and empathic tendencies

Illuminating Emergency Nurses' Perceptions of Stigma, Attribution, and Caring Behaviors Toward People With Mental Illness Through the Lens of Individualized Care: A Cross-sectional Study

INTRODUCTION

Emergency nurses' negative attitudes and lack of caring have been identified as factors affecting the experience of individuals with mental illness in emergency departments. This study examined the relationships between emergency nurses' perceptions of stigma, attribution, caring behaviors, and individualized care toward people with mental illness.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 813 nurses working in United States emergency departments. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire; the Mental Illness: Clinicians' Attitudes Scale-4; the Attribution Questionnaire; 24-Item Caring Behaviors Inventory; and the Individualized Care Scale-Nurse version. Data analyses consisted of descriptive and correlation statistics and multiple linear regression.

RESULTS

The findings from the final regression analysis revealed that caring had a significant relationship with individualized care (version A: β = 0.70, P < .001; Version B: β = 0.73; P < .001). Stigma and attribution had significant inverse relationships with individualized care (β = -0.07, P < .01; β = -0.06, P < .05, respectively).

DISCUSSION

The results of this study indicated that emergency nurses' perception of individualized care toward people with mental illness is mostly associated with the nurses' level of caring behaviors toward this population. Stigma and attribution had little to no effect. Findings from this study reinforce nurses' altruistic and caring qualities. The findings suggest the need for a possible paradigm shift from antistigma training to trainings that prioritize caring behaviors toward mental illness. This could ultimately improve health equity, safety, and overall outcomes for people with mental illness.

Relationship between nurses' perceptions of conscience and perceptions of individualized nursing care: A cross-sectional study

PURPOSE

To identify the relationship between the perception of conscience and individualized nursing care.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study. The sample of the study consisted of 326 nurses working in internal medicine and surgical clinics. The data were collected using the Nurses' Perceptions of Conscience Questionnaire and Individualized Care Scale-Nurse (ICSA) Version.

FINDINGS

Their mean score for the ICSA-Nurse was 3.96 ± 0.72. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between their scores for the ICSA-Nurse and Voice of Conscience and basic qualities of conscience.

CONCLUSION

The participants considered their conscience as a reference when performing their care actions and defined conscience as an expression of social and spiritual values.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Nurses' awareness of perceptions of conscience and the effect of conscience on the patient-nurse relationship can help them to provide more sensitive care to their patients.

The relationship between the individualized care perceptions and spiritual care perceptions of nurses

PURPOSE

To determine the relationship between the individualized care perceptions and spiritual care perceptions of nurses.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This descriptive and correlational study was conducted with 263 nurses. Data were collected using a Structured Questionnaire Form, the Individualized Care Scale-A-Nurse Version and the Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale.

FINDINGS

There was a positive and significant relationship between the individualized care perceptions and spiritual care perceptions of the nurses.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The results of this study revealed the reflections of the philosophy of nursing on the field of practice, with findings on the individualized care perceptions and spiritual care perceptions of nurses and the relationship between these variables.

The empathy level and caring behaviors perceptions of nursing students: A cross-sectional and correlational study

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to investigate the empathy level and caring behaviors perceptions of nursing students.

METHOD

This cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted with 276 nursing students.

RESULTS

The mean Empathic Tendency Scale score was 62.71 ± 5.10 (min. 20 to max. 100), indicating a low level of empathy. The mean of the Caring Assessment Questionnaire was 5.42 ± 0.80 (min. 1 to max. 7), showing a good perception of caring behaviors. There was a positive, low, and significant relationship between empathy and caring behaviors (r = 0.286, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that nursing students have low-level empathy and high-level caring behaviors.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Throughout the educational process, the students' caring competencies, which include empathy and caring behaviors, developed. It is suggested that humanistic and value-oriented pedagogical approaches be incorporated into nursing curricula.