All the voices in the room: integrating humanities in nursing education

Participatory action research was used to link the humanities with a deeper level of teaching and learning. Planning, action, reflection, and evaluation steps were collaboratively implemented by two nurse faculty researchers and five graduate nursing education students in a midsized, comprehensive, public midwestern university. Planning involved a literature review of the use of humanities in nursing education. Action entailed an essay assignment and an artwork-exhibition workshop. Written appraisal of the workshop provided data that were analyzed phenomenographically in the reflection step. Two categories, with descriptive subcategories, emerged: "Feelings" and "Learning Evaluation." Implications for nursing education leading to the generation of practical knowledge are discussed.