Determination of the relationship between the caring behaviors and the empathy levels of nurses working in internal clinics during the COVİD-19 pandemic period and the affecting factors

The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between the caring behaviors and empathy levels of nurses working in internal clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic period and the affecting factors. This study was designed as descriptive, correlational and cross-sectional. The research was conducted with 152 nurses working in internal clinics. Data were collected using Introductory Information Form, Caring Behaviors Scale-24 (CBS-24) and Empathic Tendency Scale (ETS). It was founded that 71,7% of the nurses with a mean age of 29,34±5,43 were female, 64,5% of them had a bachelor's degree or higher degrees, and 55,3% of them were single. It was determined that the nurses' total mean CBS-24 score was 4,92±0,65 and ETS score was 70,17±9,00. In the study, a moderate positive relationship was found between Empathic Tendency Scale and Caring Behaviors Scale (r=0.33; p<0.01). It was determined that the caring behaviors of nurses working in internal clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic period were affected by gender, working unit, the situation of working willingly in the unit where they work, and that the empathy level was affected by financial status. In this research, it was founded that nurses' caring behaviors affected the empathic tendency positively, that gender had an effect on caring behaviors and empathic tendency, and that female nurses as well as nurses with bachelor's degree and higher degrees got higher scores from CBS-24 scale and all its sub-dimensions, and from ETS. It was found that the caring behaviors of nurses were at a good level even during the epidemic period, that the highest score was obtained from the knowledge and skill sub-dimension, and that the empathic tendency levels of nurses were above the average. Since a positive relationship was obtained between the caring behaviors and the empathic tendency scale, it can be said that developing the empathy levels of nurses will contribute to the improvement of their caring behaviors. Therefore, it is recommended that the institutions should plan trainings at regular intervals which will improve the empathy levels of nurses.