Relationship between professional attitude and compassion among nurses

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between professional attitude and compassion among nurses.

The sample of the crossectional study recruited 202 nurses who accepted participation and working in a state hospital. Data were collected between 20 June 2019 and 2 August 2019 with a questionnaire form, Inventory of Professional Attitude at Occupation (IPA) and Compassion Scale. Data were collected via face-to-face method. Form and scales were completed by the participants. The study was reported according to the STROBE.

The mean IPA was 134.57 ± 15.43. The mean score of the Compassion Scale was 73.89 ± 11.54. The mean scores of the Compassion Scale's sub-dimensions were 16.17 ± 3.22 for kindness, 8.62 ± 3.44 for indifference, 15.45 ± 3.17 for common humanity, 9.02 ± 3.46 for separation, 15.95 ± 3.00 for mindfulness, 8.67 ± 3.44 for disengagement. There were positive correlations between kindness (r = .356), common humanity (r = .214), mindfulness (r = .297) subscales and there were negative correlations between indifference (r = -.441), separation (r = -.411) and disengagement (r = -.415) subscales and the Inventory of IPA. There was a negative correlation between IPA and total Compassion Scale scores (r = -.140). IPA scores were significantly different according to sex, age, working duration, weekly working time, satisfied with colleague relationships. Compassion scores were significantly different for weekly working time, satisfaction with colleague relationships, suitability of the nursing profession and working in emergency and outpatient clinics (p < .05).

As nurses' professional attitude scores increased, kindness, common humanity and mindfulness subscales scores increased, while indifference, separation and disengagement subscales scores of the compassion scale decreased.

Increasing the awareness about professional attitude and compassion in nursing should start with undergraduate education of nurses, and it is recommended to organise in-service training to develop professional attitudes and compassion in occupational life and to research patient perspectives about compassion.