Nursing students' learning of relational competencies through art-based pedagogy - A qualitative study

Nurses play a vital role in delivering person-centred fundamental care and ensuring patient safety. Although the nurse-patient relationship is widely acknowledged as essential to fundamental care, nurses often face challenges in meeting patients' relational needs. There is a growing call for educational activities that support nursing students in developing relational competencies.

To explore how undergraduate pre-registration nursing students experience that art-based pedagogy supports their learning and the development of competencies needed to establish relationships with patients.

Exploratory qualitative study using focus groups and participant observation.

The study was conducted in an art museum setting and a university setting as part of a collaborative initiative.

Two classes of nursing students participated in up to four art-based workshops during their first semester. A total of 66 nursing students volunteered to participate in the workshops as a part of their regular teaching program.

In total 30 h of participant observations and three focus groups were conducted. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Three themes were generated; 1) Sensitive thoughtfulness, 2) An embodied understanding and 3) A nuanced self-awareness.

Engaging with art-based pedagogy enhances nursing students' affective empathy through embodied understanding, enabling them to grasp the complexity of patient experiences using sensitive thoughtfulness. Through nuanced self-awareness, nursing students develop an appreciation for the uniqueness of individuals, which may foster an empathetic attitude towards patient needs.