Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42588374›Full record

ArticleHealthcare (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Empathy in Workplace Relationships: Experiences of Generation Z Nurses with Colleagues and Nurse Managers.

Aytolan Yıldırım, Ayfer Aydın, Merve Ertunç Soycan, Ritin Fernandez, Tosin Popoola

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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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

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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

5 authors.

Aytolan YıldırımDepartment of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Istanbul Atlas University, Istanbul 34408, Türkiye.ORCID 0000-0002-0475-6695
Ayfer AydınDepartment of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Istanbul Atlas University, Istanbul 34408, Türkiye.ORCID 0000-0002-2995-361X
Merve Ertunç SoycanSchool of Nursing, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34116, Türkiye.ORCID 0000-0003-4969-0885
Ritin FernandezSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-6143-7703
Tosin PopoolaSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-2761-7783

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEmpathy is essential for supportive nursing work environments, yet little is known about Generation Z (Gen Z) nurses' experiences of empathy from colleagues and nurse managers.

aimTo examine Gen Z nurses' experiences of empathy in workplace relationships with colleagues and nurse managers and the individual, generational, and institutional factors shaping these experiences.

methodsA qualitative descriptive study design was employed. Data were collected between October 2025 and March 2026 through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 20 Gen Z nurses working in diverse clinical settings in Turkey. Participants were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. Interviews were conducted via Zoom, audio-recorded with consent, and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis framework. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist guided the study reporting.

resultsFour main themes were identified: (1) perceptions of empathy among Gen Z nurses, (2) empathy experiences in workplace relationships, (3) factors influencing empathy experiences, and (4) expectations for building an empathic work environment. Empathy was experienced through feeling understood, non-judgmental listening, and emotional and practical support, particularly in peer relationships. Hierarchical communication, perceived intergenerational differences, workload, and time pressure were key factors influencing workplace empathy experiences.

conclusionsParticipants described empathy as a relational and context-dependent experience embedded in everyday workplace interactions. Their accounts suggest that supportive, non-hierarchical relationships may facilitate empathic engagement, whereas rigid communication styles and heavy workloads may act as barriers. These findings represent the experiences and interpretations of the Gen Z nurses interviewed and should not be read as objective comparisons between generations. Organizational strategies that support empathic communication and psychologically safe teamwork may help strengthen team cohesion and nurse retention.

Indexed as

empathygeneration Znursesnursing managementqualitative researchworkplace relationships

Identifiers

PMID42588374
PMCPMC13465466

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.