Network Analysis of Spiritual Care Perceptions and Empathy in Baccalaureate Nursing Students: A Holistic Nursing Perspective

Study PurposeTo analyze the internal associations between spiritual care perceptions and empathy among baccalaureate nursing students.Design and MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with 237 baccalaureate nursing students from a medical university located in Southeast China between April and May 2024. Data were collected through an online survey using the Chinese version of the Spiritual Care-Giving Scale and the Chinese Version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Profession Students. A network analysis model was constructed, and the related indices were calculated using R 4.3.1 software.ResultsThe network analysis revealed that spirituality and spiritual care values and attributes for spiritual care (ASC) were the central nodes. Additionally, ASC and compassionate care emerged as the bridge nodes connecting spiritual care perceptions and empathy.ConclusionThese nodes could serve as potential targets for interventions aimed at enhancing spiritual care education for baccalaureate nursing students. This study contributes to holistic nursing education and practice by emphasizing the importance of supporting the integration of reflective practice, holistic curriculum design, and relational competency development to foster nursing students' holistic care abilities.