Article

Learning and unlearning dignity in care: Experiential and experimental educational approaches

Details

Citation

Kyle R, Medford W, Blundell J, Webster E, Munoz SA & Macaden L (2017) Learning and unlearning dignity in care: Experiential and experimental educational approaches. Nurse Education in Practice, 25, pp. 50-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2017.05.001

Abstract
Guarding against loss of human dignity is fundamental to nursing practice. It is assumed in the existing literature that ‘dignity’ as a concept and ‘dignity in care’ as a practice in amenable to education. Building on this assumption, a range of experiential and experimental educational approaches have been used to enhance students' understanding of dignity. However, little is known about student nurses' views on whether dignity is amenable to education and, if so, which educational approaches would be welcomed. This mixed-methods study used an online questionnaire survey and focus groups to address these questions. Student nurses in Scotland completed online questionnaires (n=111) and participated in focus groups (n=35). Students concluded that education has transformative potential to encourage learning around the concept of dignity and practice of dignity in care but also believed that dignity could be unlearned through repeated negative practice exposures. Experiential and experimental educational approaches were welcomed by student nurses, including patient testimony, role-play, simulation, and empathy exercises to step into the lives of others. Nurse educators should further integrate experiential and experimental educational approaches into undergraduate and postgraduate nursing curricula to guard against the loss of learning around dignity students believed occurred over time.

Keywords
Human dignity; Nursing students; Nursing education; Role play; Testimony; Experience

Journal
Nurse Education in Practice: Volume 25

StatusPublished
FundersScottish Crucible
Publication date31/07/2017
Publication date online04/05/2017
Date accepted by journal03/05/2017
URLhttp://hdl.handle.net/1893/25347
PublisherElsevier
ISSN1471-5953

People (1)

Dr Leah Macaden

Dr Leah Macaden

Lecturer, Health Sciences (Highland & W.Isles)

Projects (1)

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