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Background and purpose
This is a summary of Levett-Jones T, Cant R, and Lapkin S .1
Empathy is the ability to understand and share other people’s feelings, often described as being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.
Empathetic healthcare interventions are thought to improve patient outcomes.
There is a need for preregistration nursing programmes to teach students how to be empathetic.
The purpose of this systematic review was to critically appraise and synthesise the current evidence regarding empathy interventions in undergraduate nurse education.
Methods
Results and areas for future research
Twenty-three studies from eight countries; two studies collected longitudinal data while four studies randomised students into intervention and control groups.
Nine of the interventions resulted in an increase in empathy among participants.
The most effective interventions were immersive and experiential simulations focusing on vulnerable patient groups (eg, wearing a hemiparesis suit) that provided opportunities for guided reflection.
Larger studies using validated tools are needed that evaluate the impact of educational intervention on students’ behaviours in practice over the longer term.
Take home messages
Nurse educators should employ methods such as immersive simulation to help their students enhance their ability to empathise with patients and carers.
Ethics statements
Patient consent for publication
Footnotes
Twitter @alitwy, @barrett1972
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed.