Humanistic Studies and Social Researches

Abstract Objectives: this narrative review, empirical findings from multiple sources are brought together with the aim of examining the relational competencies that nurses assess in themselves as well as the caring behaviors they display when engaging with patients, while also pointing out factors that predict these elements, methods used for measurement, and the broader consequences for education in nursing.

Methods: A narrative literature review was carried out in a systematic manner, involving searches for peer-reviewed studies that were published from 1997 through to 2025 and drawn from a range of databases.

Results: When evidence from a variety of international settings was synthesized, it became clear that both nursing students and those already working as practitioners tend to regard their relationships with patients as supportive and helpful provided that there is enough time for contact, a sense of personal capability, increasing age, and accumulated experience. At the same time, the caring behaviors that nurses exhibit often place greater emphasis on completing technical procedures rather than on showing expressive qualities such as compassion and emotional support.

Conclusions: Both the education provided to nurses and the practices they follow in clinical settings need to incorporate structured forms of self-evaluation so that technical abilities can be developed alongside relational skills in a balanced way, with attention paid to influences from the surrounding context and from demographic factors in order to foster genuine interactions with patients and to support ongoing growth in the profession.

Abstract Objective: This review aims to synthesize and critically evaluate the current literature on experiential empathy training programs for nursing students, focusing on their implementation, efficacy, and methodological approaches, with specific attention to studies within the Asian context.

Methods: A narrative synthesis of the literature was conducted. Studies were included that investigated structured empathy interventions for nursing students, utilizing methodologies such as simulation, role-playing, and flipped classrooms. Outcomes of interest included changes in self-reported empathy, observed empathic behavior, and skill retention.

Findings: The evidence consistently demonstrates that well-designed, experiential training programs lead to statistically significant improvements in nursing students' empathy levels. These gains are documented using validated tools like the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) and the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) Measure. Key effective pedagogical components include simulated patient interactions, reflective practice, and blended learning models. However, the field is limited by a predominance of quasi-experimental designs, small sample sizes, and a lack of long-term follow-up data.

Conclusion: Experiential empathy training is a highly effective and necessary component of undergraduate nursing education. To advance the field, future work should prioritize longitudinal studies, the development of culturally adapted interventions for diverse Asian populations, and more rigorous randomized controlled trials to strengthen the evidence base and ensure the sustained integration of empathy into clinical practice.