Final answer:
Sympathy in nursing involves acknowledging a patient's suffering with concern, while empathy involves understanding and sharing a patient's feelings, leading to deeper caregiver-patient relationships. Narcissism, the focus on oneself, can hinder the ability to empathize. Studies show that family support can foster empathy in caregivers.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sympathy and Empathy in Nursing
Sympathy is the ability to understand and show concern for someone else's suffering. For example, in a nursing context, a nurse may express sympathy by acknowledging a patient's pain and offering comforting words.
Empathy, on the other hand, goes a step further. It involves putting oneself in another person's shoes and experiencing their feelings. A nurse demonstrating empathy might say to a patient, 'I can see that this is really challenging for you,' and take action to alleviate their discomfort based on an understanding of what the patient is going through.
Empathy can lead to narrative immersion, where a nurse deeply understands a patient's personal story, which can foster a strong caregiver-patient relationship. In contrast, an attitude of narcissism may hinder empathic responses, as it involves a focus on the self rather than on others.
Studies, such as those by McMillan et al. (2006) and Miklikowska et al. (2011), have suggested that familial support can cultivate empathy-related characteristics, which are crucial in healthcare professions for providing compassionate care.