The Powerful Skill of Empathy: A Nurse’s Superpower

We recently led a retreat for a group of nursing instructors, and I found myself sharing a story from my early days as a nurse.

I remembered the moment vividly. I was standing in a dimly lit hospital room, holding the hand of a patient who had just been told their cancer had metastasized. I felt utterly unprepared—not for the medicine or the logistics, but for the weight of their grief. In that moment, all I could offer was my presence.

Later, I quietly slipped away to the bathroom and let my own tears fall. After a few deep breaths, I wiped my face, steadied myself, and returned to the room—believing that as a professional, I had to manage my emotions alone.

As I finished sharing, one of the instructors raised her hand and asked gently, “But isn’t it okay to cry with your patients when they receive devastating news?”

She was right.

As a new nurse, I didn’t yet understand what I know now: that when we bring both presence and empathy into those moments, we tap into a quiet superpower. Empathy isn’t about having all the answers or fixing the unfixable. It’s about meeting people in their pain—without turning away.

As Brené Brown (2018) defines it, “Empathy is connecting to the emotions that underpin an experience.” It’s about being willing to stand in that sacred, often uncomfortable space with another human being. And as nursing scholar Dr. Teresa Wiseman reminds us, empathy is “hard work, and it requires being vulnerable” (Wiseman, 1996).

Understanding Empathy: Four Essential Attributes

Dr. Wiseman’s research identifies four key attributes of empathy—each one a practice that helps nurses move beyond surface-level interactions into genuine connection (Bame Mental Health, 2024):

1. Taking on someone else’s perspective

Recognizing another person’s perspective as their truth—even if it differs from our own—requires humility and intentionality. It’s an act of stepping into their world, even briefly.

2. Being non-judgmental

When we allow judgment to creep in, we minimize or dismiss someone’s experience. Empathy calls us to set aside our own assumptions and biases, allowing us to be fully present.

3. Recognizing emotions

This involves tuning into what another person is feeling. It requires us to stay connected to our own emotional life so we can attune to the distress of others.

4. Communicating understanding

Empathy doesn’t end with recognition—it also requires expression. Simple, validating words like “This must be so hard” let others know their feelings are seen and accepted.

Together, these attributes remind us that empathy is not a passive quality. It is an intentional choice to engage wholeheartedly with others, even in their most painful moments.

Barriers to Empathy: Why It’s Not Always Easy

As powerful as empathy is, many nurses know how difficult it can be to sustain—especially in high-pressure environments.

🌱 Compassion fatigue and burnout 

Constant exposure to suffering without time for recovery can lead to emotional exhaustion. Over time, this can dull our ability to form meaningful connections.

⏳ Time pressures 

With busy schedules and heavy patient loads, slowing down to truly listen can feel impossible.

🛡️ Emotional self-protection 

Sometimes, distancing ourselves from others’ emotions feels like the only way to keep going. While understandable, it can also block the connection patients long for.

⚖️ Bias and judgment 

Unexamined biases or assumptions can shape how we see and respond to patients, creating barriers to empathic care.

Recognizing these barriers is the first step to overcoming them. Building self-awareness and practicing self-compassion can help nurses keep their hearts open—even in challenging settings.

The Impact of Empathy on Patients and Nurses

The evidence is clear: empathy benefits not only patients but also the nurses who practice it.

One study found that “higher empathy scores are associated with a reduced likelihood of professional burnout” (Mudri et al., 2024, p. 146). This makes sense—when we feel connected to those we care for, our work feels more meaningful and less depleting.

As Reynolds and Scott (1999) describe it:

“The consequences of an empathic interaction is that 'empathees' have a basic need to be understood satisfied, they feel valued and more ready to understand themselves and change. The person being empathic feels satisfied because he/she senses they have been of help and fulfilled the need to be useful to others” (p. 324).

Empathy also improves clinical outcomes. Research shows that “enhanced practitioner empathy can reduce pain and anxiety, improve general quality of care, increase patient satisfaction, benefit multimorbid patients, increase practitioner wellbeing while reducing stress and burnout, and diminish medico-legal risks” (Derksen et al., 2013).

Clearly, empathy is not at odds with evidence-based medicine—it enhances it.

A Gentle Invitation: Reflect on Your Superpower

The next time you step into a patient’s room—or check in with a colleague—pause and ask yourself:

✨ Am I willing to take on their perspective without judgment? 

✨ Can I recognize and validate the emotions they’re feeling? 

✨ How might I communicate my understanding, even in a few words?

Empathy isn’t always easy. It asks us to be present, to be vulnerable, and to offer the most human part of ourselves. But in doing so, we discover a profound truth: empathy is a superpower that transforms not only our patients’ experiences—but also our own.

📓 Reflection Prompt for Nurses

Take 5 minutes to journal:

• When was the last time you felt truly connected with a patient or colleague through empathy?

• What barriers got in your way that day?

• What small practice could help you bring more empathy into your next interaction?

You may want to consider using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for greater insight.

References

Bame Mental Health. (2024). The four attributes of empathy: Dr. Teresa Wiseman. https://www.bamementalhealth.org/post/four-attributes-of-empathy-dr-teresa-wiseman

Brown, B. (2018). Dare to lead: Brave work. Tough conversations. Whole hearts. Random House.

Derksen, F., Bensing, J., & Lagro-Janssen, A. (2013). Effectiveness of empathy in general practice: A systematic review. British Journal of General Practice, 63(606), e76–e84. https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp13X660814

Mudri, Ž., Milutinović, D., Brkić Jovanović, N., & others. (2024). Assessment of empathy as a prerequisite for holistic nursing: Psychometric analysis of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Profession Students for Croatian BSc and MSc nursing students. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 43(2), 145–158. https://doi.org/10.1177/08980101241233331

Reynolds, W. J., & Scott, B. (1999). A concept analysis of empathy. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 30(2), 324–329. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2648.1999.01072.x

Wiseman, T. (1996). A concept analysis of empathy. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 23(6), 1162–1167. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.1996.tb00014.x