Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39420087›Full record

Observational studyInternational journal of clinical pharmacy2025

Pharmacists' empathy after a postgraduate course in narrative medicine: an observational study.

Trine Graabæk, Anders Juhl Rasmussen, Anne-Marie Mai, Charlotte Rossing, Merethe Kirstine Kousgaard Andersen, Ulla Hedegaard

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in International journal of clinical pharmacy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Trine GraabækClinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy, and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark. tgraabaek@health.sdu.dk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6848-3107
Anders Juhl RasmussenDepartment for the Study of Culture, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7718-5208
Anne-Marie MaiDepartment for the Study of Culture, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2859-634X
Charlotte RossingDepartment of Research and Development, Pharmakon, Danish College of Pharmacy Practice, Hilleroed, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8220-1417
Merethe Kirstine Kousgaard AndersenResearch Unit of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4833-1867
Ulla HedegaardClinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy, and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8958-2187

Funding

Helsefonden 20-B-0219Syddansk Universitet Human Health Programme
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNarrative medicine is a recent cross-disciplinary approach which through aesthetic activities such as reading fiction and creative writing aims to encourage empathy, reflection, professionalism, and trustworthiness in the encounter between patients and health care professionals.

aimThe aim of this study was to evaluate changes in level of empathy after a postgraduate course in narrative medicine among pharmacists conducting medication counselling.

methodDuring 2020-2021, three courses in narrative medicine among pharmacists with the aim to enhance empathy were held in Odense, Denmark. The primary outcome was the pharmacists' self-reported level of empathy before and after the course measured with Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE), which is a validated 20 item scale with higher scores indicating higher levels of cognitive empathy.

resultsA total of 33 community and hospital pharmacists participated in the three courses. The pharmacists' median age was 41 years, 91% were female, 76% were working in community pharmacy, and 47% were, according to themselves, rare readers. The pharmacists completed the JSE scale before and after the course. A statistically significant increase was found in mean total JSE score from 109.9 ± 17.1 before the course to 115.7 ± 14.6 after the course (p = 0.0362).

conclusionFollowing the course in narrative medicine the level of empathy for the pharmacists according to JSE was enhanced. We recommend that future studies also use patient-reported outcomes to explore if the self-experienced enhanced empathy among pharmacists affects the patients' experience of their encounters.

Indexed as

Education, Pharmacy, GraduateEmpathyNarrative MedicinePharmacistsAdultDenmarkFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedCommunity pharmacyContinuing educationEmpathyHospital pharmacyMedication counsellingNarrative medicine

Identifiers

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.