Literary pedagogy in nursing: a theory-based perspective

Using fictional and autobiographical literature in nursing education is a primary way of understanding patients' lived experiences and fostering development of essential relational and reflective thinking skills. Application of literary theory to this pedagogic practice can expand conceptualization of teaching goals, inform specific teaching strategies, and potentially contribute to socially consequential educational outcomes. This article describes a theoretical schema that focuses on pedagogical goals in terms of the three related skills (i.e., reading, interpretation, criticism) of textual competence.