Empathy Training and Its Effect on Maternity Nurses' Communication Skills

Empathy is one of the elements that influence compassionate skills which required for building a meaningful relationship between maternity nurse and the patient requires. Empathy is particularly important to maternity nurse and allows them to understand things from a woman's angle. Indeed, nurses with high-empathy are able to comprehend the feelings of women, which are very beneficial, particularly during some stages of childbirth when women may not want to talk or in situations where verbal communication is not possible. However, providing effective and empathic communication between maternity nurse and mothers increases satisfaction and control over delivery and reduces blood pressure, anxiety, pain, and fear of childbirth.

This study used a quasi-experimental (one group pre/posttest) . it will be conducted at three health settings at Mansoura city, Egypt and will involve 45 maternity nurses and 120 parturient women. Maternity nurses will be trained on empathic communication skills.

Inclusion criteria

• Be currently employed in a maternity care setting Labor & Delivery Unit.
• Have direct patient contact with parturient women as a primary part of their regular duties.
• Have a minimum of 6 months of experience.

Exclusion criteria

• Nurses whose primary role is administrative, managerial without direct patient care responsibilities.
• Have previously participated in a pilot or feasibility study for the same or a highly similar intervention.
• Planned absence (e.g., extended leave, vacation) for a significant portion of the study intervention or data collection period.