The effect of nurse’s empathy on perceived empathy and anxiety among the elderly patients.

The core of nursing is the communication between the nurses and patients. This is a professional relationship and based on a well-respected approach. One component of this relationship is empathy, which is often described as the ability to feel rather than the other person and from the point of view of others. From the point of view of care, empathy is the ability of accepting a patient and being in the mind of others. The importance of this issue in elderly people can be emphasized due to its population increase as its more vulnerable, in terms of physological,psychological,social and spiritual(all aspects of health). Anxiety is one of the most important issues and problems of the elderly, which needs special attention. Many studies have been conducted to reduce anxiety by nurses.But little insights have affected the nurs's empathy effect on old patient's anxiety and empathy perception that have been surveyed in this research.

This study is a simple randomized clinical trial with pre-test and post-test design. In this study, 124 old patient admitted to adult surgical wards of Namazi Hospital were randomly assigned to the experimental group (62) and control group (n = 62). At the time of admission, they were asked to answer the questions of Jefferson and Spielberger anxiety questionnaire and demographic information. During the hospitalization period, for the test group, in addition to the usual care, the empathy intervention was carried out by the nurses.But contrl group received a routine care. At the time of discharge, the respondents in both groups answered the questionnaires and asked questions.

In this study, 124 old patient admitted to adult surgical wards of Namazi Hospital were randomly assigned to the experimental group (62) and control group (n = 62). At the time of admission, they were asked to answer the questions of Jefferson and Spielberger anxiety questionnaire and demographic information. During the hospitalization period, for the test group, in addition to the usual care, the empathy intervention was carried out by the nurses.But contrl group received a routine care. At the time of discharge, the respondents in both groups answered the questionnaires and asked questions.The nurse that helped all of patients for completing questionaires(outcome assessor)and all of patients didn't know which patient is in control or study group.

Inclusion criteria: The person's willingness to participate in the study and physical ability to interview and answer the questions of the questionaires and 60 years old and more patients. Exclusion criteria: Cognitive disorders ( Alzheimer and dementia)and use of sedative medications or other methods of such as relaxation and meditation during the study and sedative medications or other methods of reducing anxiety such as relaxation and meditation during the study.

In both groups,patients were over 60 years of age and they had admitted in surgical wards in Namazi Hospital and were willing to participate in the study with appropriate psychological conditions to participate in the research and answer questions.

analyzing the results of the research presents that the hidden anxiety of the members of both groups didn't have changed(in comparison between the time of the discharge and the time of admission and comparison between two groups.But the apparent anxiety of the research community significantly had decreased in both groups. However, these changes were not significant in comparison with the two groups.Patient's perception of nurse's empathy just had increased in experimental group significantly.

This study is a simple randomized clinical trial with pre-test and post-test design. In this study, 124 old patient admitted to adult surgical wards of Namazi Hospital were randomly assigned to the experimental group (62) and control group (n = 62). At the time of admission, they were asked to answer the questions of Jefferson and Spielberger anxiety questionnaire and demographic information. During the hospitalization period, for the test group, in addition to the usual care, the empathy intervention was carried out by the nurses.But contrl group received a routine care. At the time of discharge, the respondents in both groups answered the questionnaires and asked questions.

The nurse that helped all of patients for completing questionaires(outcome assessor)and all of patients didn't know which patient is in control or study group.