Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how faculty foster the development of nursing student empathy in the clinical learning environment. While much of nursing education focuses on building technical knowledge and skills, the literature supports a growing need to focus on developing an empathetic practice. It is important to support the development of empathic skills to better prepare future nurses to provide high-quality patient-centered care.Theoretical Framework. The theoretical framework for this study was Swanson's (1991) theory of human caring. Swanson's theory provided a lens for exploring nursing instructors' experiences supporting and encouraging nursing students in the development of empathy in the clinical setting. Swanson's theory of caring highlights the vital role that empathy plays in the capacity to provide compassionate, patient-centered nursing care.Methodology. This study utilized a qualitative case study research method. The researcher used a purposeful sampling method to interview nine participants. Inclusion criteria included a minimum of 1-year clinical teaching experience and actively teaching a clinical course or having taught a clinical course in the past 18 months. Data were collected through semistructured, one-on-one interviews. Findings and Conclusions. The research helps move theory into practice by providing insight into the specific strategies that clinical nursing faculty utilize to foster the development of empathy. Five major themes emerged. These five themes included (a) encouraging reflection and perspective taking, (b) the importance of role modeling, (c) the role of faculty feedback, (d) the importance of faculty support, and (e) the value of authentic presence. Recommendations. The findings support the importance of developing curriculum and support systems to foster nursing students' empathetic growth and development throughout their clinical training. Empathy awareness needs to be incorporated into clinical faculty orientation and continuing education. Additionally, as nursing students graduate and enter the nursing workforce as new graduate nurses, new graduate training programs must continue to foster the development of empathy.