Empathy
Recognizing what a client feels and reflecting it back, as distinct from sympathy, which shifts the focus onto the nurse.
Empathy is understanding and sharing another person’s feelings without judgment, communicated through reflective statements such as “That sounds frightening.” It differs from sympathy (feeling sorry for) and from false reassurance (“Everything will be fine”), both of which shut down communication. By validating the client’s experience, empathy builds trust and opens the door to therapeutic communication.
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