Exploration of artistry in nursing teaching activities

SummaryBackgroundBy promoting hope and providing care to patients, nurses serve as both artists and professionals in clinical contexts. However, current nursing education mainly emphasises the teaching of medical knowledge and skills.AimThe aim of this study is to explore the perspectives of year one nursing undergraduates on the definitions of artistry and the relationship of artistry with the sciences and nursing care.DesignA qualitative approach with content analysis was adopted in this study.MethodsSeventeen students from a nursing problem-based learning (PBL) class participated in three artistic activities, namely composing songs, writing poems, and drawing, and in two rounds of interviews. Content analysis and peer checking was implemented to ensure that the generated results were trustworthy.ResultsAccording to the participants, it is probable that the artistic activities encouraged them to relate the arts to their daily lives. Some participants stated that they would like to show their consideration for patients through the arts.ConclusionsAlthough there was no consensus among the participants on the relation between artistry and the sciences/nursing, most of the students gained a better understanding of artistry and some were able to link nursing care with artistry. Nursing educators are encouraged to think beyond the boundaries of traditional teaching approaches and nurture their students with the artistry of clinical practice.