A Study on Empathy Ability, Communication Efficacy and Self-Directed Learning Ability of Nursing College Students: Before and After Education in Clinical Practice

This study was attempted to provide the basic data for developing the effective teaching and learning strategies by identifying the difference in the empathy, communication efficacy and self-directed learning ability of nursing students according to subject education experience status which is experienced during clinical practice.

The subjects of this study were the third graders of nursing students attending the nursing department of a university in D city. The period of data collection was from Oct 1 to Oct 30, 2017. With the collected data, using SPSS/Win Program.

As a result, the scores of empathy, communication efficacy and self-directed learning ability were higher in the group which had subject education experience than that which had none. it is thought that as a method to improve the empathy, communication efficacy and self-directed learning ability of nursing students, it is necessary to have an experience with which they can identify the problems of the subjects through the direct interaction with them during clinical practice, and conduct the education necessary to them.

It is necessary to develop and organize the programs so that nursing students can apply the contents which they learned to nursing practice effectively and constantly.