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Exploring Dynamic Changes in Empathic Capability Among Postgraduate Nursing Students During Clinical Internships: An
Siyan Li1, Li Ge, Jianwei Zheng
1Author Affiliations: School of Nursing, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China (Li and Xiao); School of Nursing, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China (Ge); Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China (Zheng); Research Center for Nursing Humanity, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China (Xiao); and Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore (Zeng).
Nurse Educator
|June 1, 2026
Summary
Clinical empathy in nursing students changes dynamically during internships, with some experiencing numbness and others growth. Understanding these shifts is key for professional development.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Clinical Psychology
- Healthcare Professional Development
Background:
- Clinical empathy is a critical competency for postgraduate nursing students.
- The evolution of empathy during clinical internships is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the changes in empathic capabilities of Master of Nursing Specialist (MNS) postgraduates during their clinical internships.
- To identify patterns and influencing factors in the development of empathy in advanced nursing trainees.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive qualitative research design was employed.
- Purposive sampling included 24 MNS postgraduates from two universities in Fujian Province, China.
- Data were collected through semi-structured interviews post-internship and analyzed using AI-assisted content analysis with human validation.
Main Results:
- Four distinct empathy trajectories were identified: decline to numbness, upward growth, V-shaped recovery, and end-stage slump.
- Empathy demonstrated nonlinear evolution, influenced by factors such as fatigue, exposure to patient suffering, clinical skill development, and professional maturation.
- Individual experiences varied significantly, highlighting the complex nature of empathy development in clinical settings.
Conclusions:
- Empathy among Master of Nursing Specialist postgraduates is not static but follows diverse, dynamic pathways during clinical training.
- Nurse educators must implement tailored, stage-specific support strategies to nurture and sustain student empathy.
- Fostering empathy is integral to the holistic professional development of future nursing leaders.
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