The Use of Art to Develop Holistic Nurses and Clinical Judgment: An Educational Intervention

Background: Artwork can be used to practice the development of holistic care for nursing students. This activity was designed for senior nursing students to develop their holistic nursing skills through a series of in-class activities while viewing Frida Kahlo's The Broken Column. Aim: This study's aim was to design an educational experience to develop a more holistic approach to caring for patients for nursing students. Method: Students submitted their initial impressions of the painting via an anonymous quiz. After a guided Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) session, students submitted impressions of the artwork. A VTS facilitator read a history of an accident which revealed the cause of Kahlo's medical and emotional pain. Students then wrote about their perceptions of the painting's meaning and how they might use VTS in caring for their patients. Answers were analyzed using Braun and Clark's thematic analysis. Results: The themes identified were emotions and feelings, metaphor, life/story, and listening to inform perspective. Most found that VTS changed their impressions and enhanced their ability to question patients and inform their care. Conclusion: Students found that VTS expanded their view of patient care and helped them see the patient more holistically, aligning with the development of clinical judgment.