Coping with cancer: creative teaching strategies in an elective for nursing students

Many people find it difficult to imagine that working with cancer patients can be a positive and rewarding experience. A variety of creative teaching strategies was used in teaching an elective, "Coping with Cancer," to nursing students in a baccalaureate program. The use of these teaching strategies was expected to foster an interest in oncology nursing. This article describes the journey in the teaching-learning process that allowed students to experience the adventure of cancer nursing. Drawing exercises, communication dyads, gaming strategies, and case study analysis are among the teaching strategies described in this article.