The Relation of Empathy-Altruism and the Investigation of Altruistic Behaviour with regard to Some Variables of Nursing Students

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between empathy and altruism in nursing students, and identify the factors affecting the altruistic behavior. METHODS: The study was conducted with 218 students receiving education at Balıkesir University, Bandırma High School of Nursing. Data were collected by Personal Information Form, Altruistic Scale and Emphatic Tendency Scale. Percentage, Pearson correlation analysis, t test, Anova and Kruskal Wallis tests were used for the analysis of the data. RESULTS: Students' average scores of empathic tendency were X=67.66, mean scores of altruism were X=70.16. There was a positive and statistically significant relationship between empathic tendency and altruism. Students, whose parents were literate and who had no close friend, were found to have significantly lower levels of altruism. CONCLUSION: It is very important to teach nursing students the professional values such as altruism and develop their empathic skills and tendencies.