Effects of Empathy, Interpersonal Competence, and Nursing Professionalism on Person-centered Care Competency among Nursing Students

Purpose : This study aimed to identify factors affecting person-centered care competency among nursing students.Methods : The study employed a cross-sectional design. Participants were 122 nursing students from two universities in South Korea. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires in March 2025 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis.Results : Significant positive correlations between person-centered care competency and empathy (r=.39, p ＜.001), interpersonal competence (r=.36, p ＜.001), and nursing professionalism (r=.36, p ＜ .001) were found. Additionally, the factors affecting person-centered care competency were empathy (β=.26, p = .005), interpersonal competence (β=.25, p =.003), and nursing professionalism (β=.22, p =.015) (adj. R2 =0.24, F=8.59, p ＜.001).Conclusion : Based on the results of this study, future efforts should focus on the development and implementation of comprehensive education and training programs that enhance empathy, strengthen interpersonal communication skills, and reinforce professional identity in nursing, to ultimately improve person-centered care competency among nursing students.