Empathy Levels in Undergraduate Paramedic Students

Abstract

Empathetic behaviour is regarded as a positive trait amongst healthcare professionals and has been attributed to increased patient compliance, greater patient satisfaction, and greater diagnostic accuracy and reduced rates of clinical errors. A cross sectional study employing a convenience sample of first, second and third year undergraduate paramedic students at Monash University from 2008-2010. Student empathy scores where measured with the Jefferson Scale of Empathy -- Health Profession Student version (JSE-HPS); a validated, self-reporting questionnaire. A total of 552 students were enrolled in the study, of which 69% were females and 83% were aged under 25. The mean overall JSE-HPS score for the cohort was 108.60. Female students displayed significantly higher empathy scores of 110.27 compared to males at 105.36. There was also a significant difference noted between the 2008 JSE-HPS score 106.32, when compared to the 2009 cohort, 110.18. There was no significant difference found in mean JSE-HPS scores across differing age groups.