Empathy in paramedic practice: An overview

Empathy is generally considered to be the understanding of another person’s reactions, thoughts, feelings and problems, and being able to relay this sense of understanding back to the individual. Empathy in healthcare is associated with improved communication, reduced stress, lower complication rates and better clinical outcomes. Low empathy is associated with decreased patient satisfaction and provider burnout. The burden of emotional work in paramedic practice and coping strategies may be contributory factors to lower empathy. Some evidence suggests that the empathy of paramedic students varies between patient groups and can decline over time. Empathy is an interpersonal skill that can be learned and improved upon. In paramedic practice, it is complex and inadequately studied. Its relationship to patient care, paramedic burnout and wellbeing require investigation. Several strategies to teach empathy should be considered by educators.