The Use of Personal Narratives, Literature, and Journals to Foster Caring in Nursing Students

A study examined caring attitudes in nursing students, specifically how students ranked characteristics of caring behavior, how the reading of personal narratives and literary works dealing with caring influenced caring behavior, and, how keeping a personal journal influenced caring behavior. Subjects were nine students in a seminar entitled "Exploring Personal and Professional Issues in Cancer Nursing through Writing." Data sources were a pre- and a posttest, journal entries, and open-ended interviews. Findings suggest that students perceived the assigned readings as beneficial in providing models of caring nursing behavior in difficult situations. Excerpts from student journals show that feelings could be explored more deeply in writing than in conversation. The seminar on writing was able to reach all participants and integrate effectively various levels of nursing knowledge, nursing behavior, and life experiences with the prescribed course content. Nursing students need to be provided with intentional pauses in their often technologically oriented studies. Narratives and other forms of literature, in connection with writing, can become significant tools for students to explore nursing issues such as caring. Students should be provided with a different model of real nursing situations to place their acquired textbook knowledge into context. (Contains 38 references.) (PA)