Objective: The aim of this research is to examine empathy in nursing in COVID wards. How did the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic affect the empathy of the staff in their daily work with seriously ill patients in this new situation. Subjects and methods: an average study, conducted on 82 subjects of both sexes. The data used was obtained in an anonymous survey. The research was conducted in the "Zabok General Hospital and the Croatian Veterans Hospital" where the respondents were nurses and medical technicians who worked in COVID-19 departments. Results: out of the total number of respondents (N = 82), 18.3 % (N = 15) were male and 81.7 % (N = 67) were female. A statistically significant difference with regard to the age of the respondents was observed in the question "Do you think that nurses and medical technicians are sufficiently educated about empathy and empathy skills?" where a higher proportion of older respondents stated that they felt that nurses and medical technicians were sufficiently educated, but did not have time for empathic communication. Conclusion: A statistically significant difference with regard to age was found in the question "Do you think that nurses and medical technicians are sufficiently educated about empathy and empathy skills?" where the majority of respondents believe that nurses and medical technicians are sufficiently educated about empathy and empathy skills, but do not have time for empathic communication.