A journey in holistic growth.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Holistic Health
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Traditional nursing education often lacks focus on holistic development.
• Novice learners require innovative methods for comprehensive knowledge acquisition.
• The "Women, Witches, and Healing" course aimed to explore non-traditional learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To share an experience of holistic growth derived from an academic exercise.
• To investigate students' perceptions of gender roles within their world.
• To demonstrate the efficacy of experiential learning in nursing.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative study involving an academic exercise within a nontraditional nursing course.
• Students (n=26 women) responded to the prompt: "What it means to be a woman (or man) in your world."
• Responses were compiled, revised, and analyzed qualitatively.

Main Results:

• The exercise yielded significant insights into students' lived experiences and self-perceptions.
• Student writings provided a rich dataset for understanding holistic growth.
• The final composition served as a tribute to the participants' contributions.

Conclusions:

• Holistic growth in nursing education can be fostered through innovative, student-centered exercises.
• Qualitative methods effectively capture diverse perspectives on gender and identity.
• This approach enhances educational methods and personal development for all involved.