DOI: https://doi.org/10.22263/2312-4156.2023.3.09
I.V. Gorodetskaya, E.V. Kovaleva
Features of the structure of empathy and resistance of medical workers to stress
Vitebsk State Order of Peoples’ Friendship Medical University, Vitebsk, Republic of Belarus
Vestnik VGMU. 2023;22(3):09-18.
Abstract.
As a result of our study, based on the analysis of the data received by both domestic and foreign researchers, it has been found that the empathic abilities and stress resistance of physicians have gender and national characteristics, depend on the specialty, and for students – also on the presence of disciplines in communication skills in the curricula of educational institutions.
Female students have more pronounced empathic abilities compared to boys. In the process of studying at a medical university, a slight decrease is observed in empathic abilities.
There is a direct relationship between the level of empathy of physicians and clinical outcomes of patient management, which indicates that empathic skills are an important factor in determining the professional competence of a physician and the outcomes of treatment.
The severity of empathy depends on the profile of medical practice, at the same time there is no normative level. The empathic attitudes of surgical specialists are somewhat lower than those of general practitioners.
Doctors who display more interest and empathy towards patients receive more information from them about their health status, psychological and social problems. This improves the quality of medical care and determines greater satisfaction of patients with the medical services provided, which, in its turn, improves the results of treatment, reduces the time for patients to recover by optimizing the whole recovery process.
The overall level of occupational stress among health workers and young professionals is high on an average. Its value depends on the specialization profile of a medical worker and the meaningful context of his/her professional work.
The conducted analysis proves the need to improve the empathic abilities of future doctors and increase their stress resistance in the process of studying at a medical university.
Key words: empathy, stress resistance, medical workers.
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Information about authors:
I.V. Gorodetskaya – Doctor of Medical Sciences, professor of the Chair of Normal Physiology, Vitebsk State Order of Peoples’ Friendship Medical University, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7388-4244,
e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра. – Irina V. Gorodetskaya;
E.V. Kovaleva – the fifth-year medical student, Vitebsk State Order of Peoples’ Friendship Medical University.
