Communication Competency And Empathy Among Nurses In The Intensive Care Unit Of Tertiary Hospitals In Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a highly stressful and unique environment. Caring for a diverse client population requires nurses effective communication and empathy. These traits, in turn, help to improve patient care and outcomes, increase the level of patient satisfaction, and decrease adverse events. These also promote effective decision making, problem-solving, and encourage good collaboration with fellow health workers. The purpose of the present study is to determine the relationship between Communication Competence and Empathy among Nurses in the Intensive Care Unit of Tertiary Hospital in Saudi Arabia. The respondents consisted of 243 ICU nurses, and the tools used were a Self -Perceived Communication Competence Scale and Toronto Empathy Questionnaire. Descriptive correlational statistics were used to analyze the data. Results revealed that the Self-Perceived Communication Competence among nurses in the ICU is High in contexts such as in public and in group with strangers, friends and acquaintances; and the nurses have high level of empathy. It was also revealed in the results that level of communication competence and level of empathy have no significant relationship. However, the level of communication competence is significantly linked to educational attainment of nurses; while the level of empathy is significantly correlated to age , nationality and length of experience of the nurses