Being exposed to a traumatic event or caring patients who had trauma experience are the factors that affect the empathy and burnout levels of nurses. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of several variables such trauma experience, personality characteristics and socio-demographic variables on nurses’ empathy and burnout levels. Study sample was consisted of 154 nurses. We used a 19 item questionnaire to assess sociodemographic variables and trauma experiences of the nurses, DSM-4-TR Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) criteria to determine trauma, Interpersonal Reactivity Index to measure the level of empathy, Maslach Burnout Inventory to measure the level of burnout and The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire- Modified Abbreviated to determine personality traits of the nurses. The results showed that among 154 participants 54.5% had experienced trauma; 60.4% were witnessed a traumatic event or provided care for traumatic patientsOf the sample, 27.3% had experienced symptoms that met DSM-4-TR diagnostic criteria for PTSD. In our study, univariate analysis showed that the meeting the criteria of PTSD was positively related to burnout levels (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal achievement). In addition, according to multiple logistic regression analysis, the factors that affect nurses’ burnout levels were age, job satisfaction, personality (neuroticism, lie) types and empathy levels (p<0.05). Necessary precautions must be taken to prevent nurses from burnout and appropriate measures should be implemented for nurses to protect them from the effects of primary and secondary traumas. Prevention and intervention strategies may also improve nurses’ healthy empathic skills.

Keywords: Empathy, burnout, personality characteristics, trauma, nurses