ABSTRACT
Introduction: The attitudes of healthcare professionals, and particularly of nurses, toward people with disabilities have a significant impact on the quality of care. Empathy, namely the ability to understand patients’ emotions and needs, is critical for effective care. In addition, the nursing process, which includes assessment, diagnosis, and the implementation of individualized therapeutic plans, ensures continuous and high-quality care for people with disabilities.
Aim: The aim of the present study was to assess empathy, attitudes toward people with disabilities, and perceptions of nursing care among nursing students. Possible correlations among these variables were also explored.
Methodology: A quantitative research approach was followed through the online completion of four questionnaires using the Google Forms platform. The sample consisted of 122 nursing students. Statistical processing was performed with IBM SPSS v.26, after the data had first been appropriately coded and transformed to ensure compatibility with the software.
Results: The study showed that nursing students present moderate to high levels of empathy. A positive attitude toward people with disabilities was also identified, while their perception of nursing care was oriented more toward technical and communication-related characteristics. Empathy is positively associated with attitudes toward people with disabilities, and perceptions of nursing care are partly negatively correlated with these attitudes. In addition, empathy is partly negatively correlated with students’ perceptions of nursing care. Finally, case-specific correlations were observed among empathy, attitudes, and perceptions.
Conclusions: The study demonstrated moderate to high empathy, positive attitudes toward people with disabilities, and a technical approach to perceptions of nursing care. Selective correlations were observed among empathy, attitudes, and perceptions, with some relationships being negative and others positive.
Keywords: Empathy, Nursing care, People with disabilities, Student attitudes, Nursing education
