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

Background: 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. Aim: 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. Design: Exploratory qualitative study using focus groups and participant observation. Settings: The study was conducted in an art museum setting and a university setting as part of a collaborative initiative. Participants: 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. Methods: In total 30 h of participant observations and three focus groups were conducted. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Three themes were generated; 1) Sensitive thoughtfulness, 2) An embodied understanding and 3) A nuanced self-awareness. Conclusion: 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.