Empathy and compassion in nursing: a narrative review of interventions preventing burnout and fostering resilience
TL;DR
A narrative review of international literature on empathy, compassion, burnout, and nursing interventions sought to identify effective interventions for enhancing compassionate nursing care, supporting nurses’ job satisfaction, and reducing the risk of burnout.
Abstract
Aim. Compassionate care is vital for quality healthcare. Empathy and compassion are key skills for nurses, but they are often hindered by stress, time pressures and excessive workload. Compassion fatigue can lead to burnout and lower-quality care. This review sought to identify effective interventions for enhancing compassionate nursing care, supporting nurses’ job satisfaction, and reducing the risk of burnout. Material and methods. We conducted a narrative review of international literature (2014-2023) from MEDLINE and CINAHL Ultimate, with the focus on empathy, compassion, burnout, and nursing interventions. After screening titles, abstracts, and full texts, a total of 44 relevant articles were included. Due to heterogeneity, findings were synthesized narratively. Results. Mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral therapy and reflective practices effectively reduce stress among nurses. Supportive leadership, positive work environments and the use of digital tools further enhance stress management. Integrating empathy and emotional regulation into nursing education strengthens resilience and improves job satisfaction. Conclusions. While empathy and compassion are central to nursing, they may also contribute to burnout and compassion fatigue. Empowering nurses through education, self-care, and emotional regulation supported by healthy workplaces and teamwork reduces burnout, enhances job satisfaction, and improves patient care. Ongoing research is essential in order to sustain resilience and compassionate healthcare worldwide.