The Mediating Effect of Spirituality between Nurses' Empathy and Elderly Care Performance in the Long Term Care Hospitals

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify whether spirituality mediates the relationship between empathy and elderly care performance among Long Term Care (LTC) hospitals nurses in Korea. Methods: The data collection was performed July 1st to August 31th, 2018. Participants were 119 nurses from three long-term care hospitals in Korea. Self-reported questionnaires were administered to assess general characteristics, empathy, spirituality and elderly care performance. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and three-stage simple and multiple regression analysis as proposed by Baron and Kenny. Results: The level of elderly care performance of participants was significantly different based on age (F=3.92, p=.010) and nurse's position (t=-2.18, p=.031). Spirituality had a significant mediating effect on the relationship between empathy and elderly care performance (Z=3.64, p<.001). Conclusion: As spirituality completely mediates the relationship between empathy and elderly care performance, it is necessary to develop a nursing education program that applies spirituality and empathy and supports religious activities at an institutional level.