Nurses’ Perception of Conscience and Effects of Their Fear of Compassion on Their Caring Behaviors

Background This study aimed to investigate the effects of nurses’ perception of conscience and fear of compassion on their caring behaviors, as well as the relationships among these variables. Method The data of this descriptive, cross-sectional and correlational study were collected from 203 nurses working in a state hospital in western Turkey between July 2024 and December 2024. The data were collected using the the Personal Information Form, Perceptions of Conscience Questionnaire, Fear of Compassion Scale and Caring Behaviors Inventory via face-to-face interviews. In the descriptive statistics, numbers, percentages, arithmetic mean and standard deviation were used. The independent samples t-test and F test were used to compare sociodemographic data, whereas Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the scales. A backward regression model was used to determine the independent variables which affected the participants’ caring behaviors. Results The results of the study revealed that there was a negative moderate relationship between the nurses’ caring behaviors and their levels of fear of compassion (p < 0.01), and a positive weak relationship between their caring behaviors and their levels of perception of conscience (p < 0.05). There was a negative weak relationship (p < 0.05) between their levels of fear of compassion and perception of conscience. According to the backward regression model established in the study, the nurses’ levels of fear of compassion affected their caring behaviors by 26.3%. Conclusion It is recommended that regular in-service online or face-to-face training and psychosocial interventions should be planned to reduce the level of fear of compassion.