The purpose of the study was to determine to what degree nurses vary in their utilization of empathy when responding to patients experiencing different types of physical and emotional discomfort. Nurse participants ({dollar}N = 32{dollar}) worked primarily in a hospital setting. They were administered the Behavioral Test of Interpersonal Skills and responded to videotaped vignettes. Actors portrayed patients exhibiting pain, anxiety, depression, or anger. Feeling , Content , or Don\u27t Feel were the three categories scored. Don\u27t Feel responses negate or suppress patient\u27s feelings.; A chi-square was done to compare don\u27t feel responses to all other responses. Don\u27t Feel responses were generally used in depression, anger, and anxiety. Nurses tended to identify feeling responses better in pain. Nurses reflected content more often than feelings for depression, anger and anxiety.; Many nurse subjects offered solutions to the problems offered by the patient. In general nurses use of empathy was limited
