Defining clinical empathy: a grounded theory approach from the perspective of healthcare workers and patients in a multicultural setting.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To define clinical empathy from the perspective of healthcare workers and patients from a multicultural setting.

Design

Grounded theory approach using focus group discussions.

Setting

A health cluster in Singapore consisting of an acute hospital, a community hospital, ambulatory care teams, a medical school and a nursing school.

Participants

69 participants including doctors, nurses, medical students, nursing students, patients and allied health workers.

Main outcome measures

A robust definition of clinical empathy.

Results

The construct of clinical empathy is consistent across doctors, nurses, students, allied health and students. Medical empathy consists of an inner sense of empathy (imaginative, affective and cognitive), empathy behav

SUBMITTER: Tan L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8442049 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature