Exploring the Empathy-Burnout Connection among Nurses: Working at Teaching Hospitals

A descriptive correlation design was used in the present study during the specified time period. From September 26, 2022, to June 14, 2023, there will be an assessment conducted to determine the levels of empathy and burnout and to discover the connection between empathy and burnout. A purposive (non- probability) sample of 180 nurses was recruited in the current study and selected from four teaching hospitals in Kerbala city according to specific criteria. A pilot study is conducted to assess the reliability of the questionnaires, and a panel of 17 experts is utilized to establish the content validity of the questionnaires. The data was gathered by conducting interviews and using two scales: the Jefferson Scale of Empathy Physician/Health Professions (HP version) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Data interpretation and analysis were carried out using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version (IBM 22). The results of the study show that nurses exhibit low levels of empathy, low levels of emotional exhaustion, high levels of depersonalization, and high levels of personal accomplishment. The study also found a significant relationship between empathy and all dimensions of burnout. The research suggests that nursing colleges and institutions should include research and courses on stress management in nursing because nursing is unavoidably a stressful profession, these courses may be beneficial for future nurses. Also, efforts should be made to provide training programs and promote a culture of empathy within healthcare organizations, it could lead to better patient outcomes and increased patient satisfaction.