Other Titles
Identifying Compassion Competence Trajectories: Evidence from a Longitudinal Study of Clinical Nurses [Poster Title]
Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to identify distinct trajectories of compassion competence among clinical nurses and to examine demographic and psychosocial characteristics associated with each trajectory.
Background: Compassion competence is a vital attribute in nursing practice, encompassing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral capacities that enable empathetic, patient-centered care. Although compassion competence is recognized as essential to both care quality and nurse well-being, limited longitudinal evidence exists on how it develops over time. Identifying its trajectories and influencing factors is crucial for designing interventions that sustain compassionate care and workforce resilience.
Methods: A longitudinal cohort study was conducted with clinical nurses in South Korea from 2019 to 2022. Compassion competence was measured annually using a validated scale consisting of communication, sensitivity, and insight subdomains. Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was employed to identify distinct patterns over time. Differences in demographic and psychosocial characteristics between groups were analyzed using chi-square and t-tests. Binary logistic regression identified predictors of trajectory membership.
Results: Two compassion competence trajectories were identified: an early adjustment group (63.3%) and a delayed adjustment group (36.7%). Nurses in the early adjustment group had higher educational attainment, fewer years of clinical experience, and higher levels of wellness, compassionate love, self-compassion, and quality of life. Logistic regression revealed that holding a bachelor’s degree (OR = 3.07, p = .020), fewer years of clinical experience (OR = 0.77, p = .041), and higher compassionate love (OR = 3.15, p < .001) significantly predicted early adjustment trajectory membership.
Conclusion: Distinct developmental trajectories of compassion competence exist among clinical nurses, shaped by educational, experiential, and psychosocial factors. Early support and targeted education for nurses at risk of delayed compassion development are essential for sustaining compassionate care in clinical settings.
Implications for Nursing Management: Nurse leaders should promote environments that cultivate compassionate love, emotional wellness, and continuous learning. Tailored educational and organizational strategies can strengthen compassion competence, leading to improved patient outcomes and workforce sustainability.
Notes
This is a poster presentation. The presenter submitted the poster information in a multi-slide format.
References:
Lee, Y., & Seomun, G. (2016). Compassion competence in nurses. Advances in Nursing Science, 39(2), E54–E66. https://doi.org/10.1097/ANS.0000000000000123
Kim, C., & Lee, Y. (2020). Effects of compassion competence on missed nursing care, professional quality of life, and quality of life among Korean nurses. Journal of Nursing Management, 28(8), 2118–2127. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13131
Kang, J., & Lee, Y. (2022). Health-related factors influencing nurse turnover by clinical career: A secondary data analysis of clinical nurses in South Korea. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(22), 15222. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215222
Park, S., Park, J.-H., Song, J.-E., Bae, S. H., Kim, K., & Lee, Y. (2024). Trajectories of work adjustment and influencing factors among newly registered nurses. Asian Nursing Research, 18(1), 36–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anr.2023.10.004
Sinclair, S., Beamer, K., Hack, T. F., McClement, S., Raffin Bouchal, S., Chochinov, H. M., & Hagen, N. A. (2017). Symptom expression in compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction among oncology nurses: A qualitative study. Oncology Nursing Forum, 44(5), E242–E250. https://doi.org/10.1188/17.ONF.E242-E250
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Longitudinal Study
Research Approach
Quantitative Research
Keywords:
Competence, Faculty Development, Workforce, Clinical Competence, Compassion Fatigue, South Korea
Recommended Citation
Lee, EunKyo; Park, Sunghee; and Lee, Youngjin, "Trajectories of Compassion Competence Among Clinical Nurses: A Longitudinal Study" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 43.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/posters_2026/43
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-07-29
Funder
National Research Foundation of Korea
Second Funder
Ministry of Education and Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea
Trajectories of Compassion Competence Among Clinical Nurses: A Longitudinal Study
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Purpose: This study aimed to identify distinct trajectories of compassion competence among clinical nurses and to examine demographic and psychosocial characteristics associated with each trajectory.
Background: Compassion competence is a vital attribute in nursing practice, encompassing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral capacities that enable empathetic, patient-centered care. Although compassion competence is recognized as essential to both care quality and nurse well-being, limited longitudinal evidence exists on how it develops over time. Identifying its trajectories and influencing factors is crucial for designing interventions that sustain compassionate care and workforce resilience.
Methods: A longitudinal cohort study was conducted with clinical nurses in South Korea from 2019 to 2022. Compassion competence was measured annually using a validated scale consisting of communication, sensitivity, and insight subdomains. Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was employed to identify distinct patterns over time. Differences in demographic and psychosocial characteristics between groups were analyzed using chi-square and t-tests. Binary logistic regression identified predictors of trajectory membership.
Results: Two compassion competence trajectories were identified: an early adjustment group (63.3%) and a delayed adjustment group (36.7%). Nurses in the early adjustment group had higher educational attainment, fewer years of clinical experience, and higher levels of wellness, compassionate love, self-compassion, and quality of life. Logistic regression revealed that holding a bachelor’s degree (OR = 3.07, p = .020), fewer years of clinical experience (OR = 0.77, p = .041), and higher compassionate love (OR = 3.15, p < .001) significantly predicted early adjustment trajectory membership.
Conclusion: Distinct developmental trajectories of compassion competence exist among clinical nurses, shaped by educational, experiential, and psychosocial factors. Early support and targeted education for nurses at risk of delayed compassion development are essential for sustaining compassionate care in clinical settings.
Implications for Nursing Management: Nurse leaders should promote environments that cultivate compassionate love, emotional wellness, and continuous learning. Tailored educational and organizational strategies can strengthen compassion competence, leading to improved patient outcomes and workforce sustainability.
Description
This longitudinal study identified two developmental trajectories of compassion competence among clinical nurses using group-based trajectory modeling. Nurses with higher education, less clinical experience, and greater compassionate love were more likely to show sustained growth in compassion competence. Findings highlight the need for early, tailored organizational and educational strategies to strengthen compassionate care and nurse well-being.