Developing Clinical Empathy: Making a Difference in Patient Care from FutureLearn

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more The course is suitable for anybody engaged in healthcare who interacts with patients and would like to develop their empathic practice. This may include undergraduate students undertaking medical or healthcare-focused degrees, or even those looking to work in healthcare or applying to study healthcare qualifications. The learning outcomes for this course are transferable across all healthcare specialities and can be applied worldwide regardless of the type of the health care system. If you’re a healthcare professional, you may find it useful to upgrade this course to support your continuing professional development (CPD). By upgrading, you’ll be able to take this course at your own pace and revisit the material at any time in future. Once you complete the course, you’ll receive a Certificate of Achievement as evidence of your CPD. This includes details of what you learnt and the number of learning hours required. You can use the hashtag #FLempathy to talk about this course on social media.

Topics Covered

What is empathy?
The importance of empathy in healthcare
Empathetic opportunities and responses
The challenges of showing empathy
Building resilience

Reviews summary

Practical empathy for healthcare professionals

According to learners, this course is a highly recommended and transformative experience for anyone in healthcare aiming to enhance their patient interactions. Students praise its practical strategies and real-world applicability, particularly highlighting how it fosters a deeper understanding of empathy in clinical settings. The course content, including its lectures and engaging exercises, is frequently described as clear and concise, making complex concepts accessible. While many find it immensely valuable for immediate use in their practice, some experienced professionals suggest it serves as an excellent refresher or foundational course rather than an advanced deep dive.

Beneficial for both new and experienced healthcare staff.

"As an experienced nurse, I found it a valuable refresher that reinforced key concepts and offered new insights."

"This course is perfect for students entering healthcare, providing a foundational understanding of empathy's role."

"While some parts felt like a review, I still gained new perspectives that are useful in my practice."

Addresses burnout and the emotional demands of healthcare.

"I particularly valued the module on building resilience, which is crucial for managing the emotional toll of my profession."

"The emphasis on self-care and preventing burnout was a unique and much-needed aspect of the course."

"It provided excellent strategies for maintaining my own well-being while extending empathy to others."

Modules are well-structured, easy to follow, and highly relevant.

"The content was incredibly clear and concise, making it easy to absorb and apply even with a busy schedule."

"I appreciated the focus on practical examples and scenarios that mirrored real-life clinical situations."

"The lessons are well-structured and provided a solid, actionable understanding of empathy in healthcare."

Provides practical strategies for improving patient care.

"This really helped me better connect with my patients and understand their perspectives more profoundly."

"I found the content highly relevant to my daily practice and it significantly improved my approach to patient interactions."

"The course offers practical tools and strategies that I could apply immediately to my work, truly making a difference."

Some found it basic; others appreciated the concise format.

"For someone with prior experience, I felt some parts were a bit repetitive and lacked the depth I was looking for."

"I found the course paced well for my learning, allowing me to absorb complex ideas without feeling rushed."

"While it's a good introduction, I wished for more advanced case studies to challenge my thinking further."

Career center

Learners who complete Developing Clinical Empathy: Making a Difference in Patient Care will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers: