Storytelling as an educational strategy for midwifery students

Storytelling as an educational strategy for midwifery students: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Narratives can provide a framework to teach the concepts of patient-centered care to the students. This article describes the experiences of midwifery students from employing of purposive storytelling as a teaching strategy in the education program.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This qualitative study used an in-depth interview method to collect the experiences of midwifery students engaged in a narrative medicine training program. The narrative-based teaching activities focused on three patients to teach four themes (clinical manifestations, treatment options, prevention strategies, and ethics), and related to MMR (maternal mortality rate) concept offered to students from Guilan University of Medical Sciences in 2022-2023. At the end of the course, all students were invited to provide experiences regarding the teaching method. Conventional content analysis was performed simultaneously with data collection. Four-dimension criteria (Lincoln and Guba) were used to evaluate the rigor of the findings.

RESULTS

Data analysis led to the extraction of three main categories and eight sub-categories: effective learning (extended learning, a safe learning environment, and boosted motivation for midwifery role), challenges on the way of learning (contagious sadness, shattered cohesion, and executive monopoly), and challenges on the way of performance improvement (the necessity of interdisciplinary education and the inevitability of a strong foundation).

CONCLUSIONS

Narrative-based teaching may improve the learning experience of students, but it is not possible to train all the course content by this method, and it should ideally be a supplement to other educational methods, such as lecturing.

"I want to have stories too". Nursing students' views on nursing identity and reasons for choosing nursing as a career: A qualitative study

AIM

To understand and interpret nursing students' views on nursing identity and their reasons for choosing nursing as a career after participating in a face-to-face storytelling panel by academics.

BACKGROUND

Knowing nursing students' view of the profession and their thoughts about the profession, their roles and their future will guide nursing academics to develop evidence-based strategies that will enable participants to realize their own professional identities. Storytelling has an important role in creating and strengthening a strong professional identity among participants.

DESIGN

This study is a sample case study.

METHODS

This research was carried out in the fall semester of the 2023-2024 academic year with participants registered in nursing program at the Faculty of Health Sciences of a state university in the Central Anatolia Region of Türkiye. The study was completed with one hundred ten participants. Five academics were invited to the panel at the Faculty of Health Sciences to share their experiences, stories and reasons for choosing nursing as a career through storytelling. The data were collected using the surveys, which includes five structured open ended questions and analyzed using descriptive analysis.

RESULTS

Five main themes emerged: 1. Participants' views on nursing profession; 2. Awareness of positive/negative emotions related to the profession as a part of nursing stories and feeling that these emotions are experienced in the stories; 3. Changes in the perspective of the profession and sense of belonging to the profession as part of nursing stories; 4. Facilitators in choosing nursing as a career; and 5. Barriers to choosing nursing as a career.

CONCLUSION

Providing participants with the chance to both listen to the real stories of academic nurses and to reflect on themselves through writing was a dynamic experience that motivated participants to understand their perceptions of nurses and nursing profession.

Examining arts-based practice in midwifery education: An integrative review

AIMS

The aim of this integrative review is to synthesise the literature on creative teaching methods in midwifery education. The review question seeks to investigate the experiences of student midwives and midwifery educators of using creative methods as a learning approach.

BACKGROUND

The benefits of creative teaching methods are widely acknowledged but the ways in which this may impact midwifery students' learning processes, or how this relates to their developing professional development, is not well understood. Research focused specifically on student midwives is yet to be synthesised.

DESIGN

An integrative review was undertaken using data comparison with reflexive thematic analysis to identify common themes.

METHODS

Eight electronic databases were searched with key terms in June 2022. English language studies from qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods and wider literature were included.

RESULTS

Twenty-two texts were included in the synthesis. Four themes were generated from the data; 1) What is the offering - More than a lecture; exploring the educator and student exchange and environment for learning; 2) Working in parallel - examining the change in teaching dynamic and collaborative partnerships; 3) Journeying towards holism - focused on student's integration of learning processes; and 4) Stepping into the professional - engaging with how using creativity can aid students' growing sense of themselves as professionals. This highlights improvements in levels of confidence, professional development and emotional intelligence in midwifery students.

CONCLUSION

Creative teaching and learning methods enable student midwives to make meaningful connections between theoretical and practice learning environments, assisting knowledge and skills acquisition.

Engaging patients as teachers in a baccaulaureate nursing reproductive health care course: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Teaching nursing students about the principles and practical application of person-centered care is an essential yet challenging component of nursing education. Integrating patients as teachers to share their personal stories of maternity care can elicit positive outcomes toward students achieving course objectives.

OBJECTIVES

To determine how the educational experience of having patients as teachers in the classroom could influence students' awareness of patients' perceptions of their maternity care, delivering person-centered care and the roles of nursing in their future practice.

DESIGN

Retrospective qualitative study of student reflections.

SETTINGS

Reproductive health course within a BSN program.

PARTICIPANTS

Ninety-nine second semester BSN student reflections.

METHODS

Two course faculty and a qualitative nurse researcher conducted a thematic content analysis of written student reflections.

RESULTS

Three primary themes emerged from the students' reflections of hearing patient and family advisors describe their maternity experiences: 1) awareness of the impact of nursing practice on patient and family well-being, 2) awareness of personal biases and emotions about difficulties in maternity care, and 3) appreciation to hear from patients directly as part of didactic coursework.

CONCLUSIONS

Including patients as teachers is an enhanced method to aid nursing students in understanding the humanistic and impactful roles of nursing in the clinical setting.

Using Culturally Focused Storytelling to Empower Appalachian Kentucky Youth to Understand and Address Cancer Disparities in Their Communities

Kentucky has the highest cancer incidence and mortality rates in the nation with the Appalachian region of the state being most affected. These rates are driven by health behaviors and inequities in social determinants of health. Herein, Appalachian Kentucky students with the University of Kentucky's Appalachian Career Training in Oncology (ACTION) program were engaged in a storytelling exercise by writing culturally framed essays. Students discussed their personal experiences with cancer and their thoughts on the causes of and potential solutions to Appalachian Kentucky's cancer disparities. Content analysis was used to identify common themes, subthemes, and subtopics in the essays regarding cancer types, causes of cancer in Appalachia, and solutions to the high cancer rates. Common cancer types experienced by the students included breast, lung, and prostate. The most frequently identified themes that drive cancer rates in Appalachian Kentucky were identified as geography, environmental factors, tobacco use, education, poverty, prevention, and mistrust. Common proposed solutions to decrease cancer rates were to increase education and awareness, screening, and tobacco cessation. Overall, through storytelling, youth gained a better understanding of cancer in their communities and envisioned culturally tailored, community-based intervention strategies that can aid in reducing the cancer burden in Appalachian Kentucky.

StoryAid: Nursing Students' Relational Learning for Adolescents With Intellectual Learning Disabilities

BACKGROUND

Nursing students express fears and anxieties about caring for people with intellectual learning disabilities (ILDs). Educational storytelling interventions may help overcome these concerns and improve nursing care.

METHOD

StoryAid was used and developed in the Heritage-2Health (H2H) Virtual Art and Drama Project. Eight online sessions followed a story about differences and connections. Two trained facilitators and three academic educators supported nursing students (n = 15), adolescents with ILDs (n = 7), their parents (n = 7), and a specialist teacher to deconstruct, reconnect, and rediscover understandings using rights-based ethnographic evaluation and thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Themes included relating to the story and characters, participating in the storytelling process, relating to other participants in the storytelling, and relating learning to clinical contexts and professionalism.

CONCLUSION

The partnership of StoryAid and H2H created safe spaces for nursing students to engage, challenge assumptions, and develop relational skills. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(1):51-57.].

Living Kidney Donation Stories and Advice Shared Through a Digital Storytelling Library: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis

Rationale & Objective

Despite the development of numerous educational interventions, there has been limited change in actual living donor kidney transplant (LDKT) rates over time. New strategies, such as the inclusion of patient stories in patient education, show promise to inspire more people to donate kidneys. This study identified the challenges faced, coping strategies used, and advice shared by transplant donors and recipients.

Study Design

Qualitative thematic analysis.

Setting & Participants

One hundred eighteen storytellers across the United States and Canada, including 82 living donors and 36 kidney recipients of living donor transplants who shared their stories on the Living Donation Storytelling Project (explorelivingdonation.org), an online digital storytelling platform and library.

Analytical Approach

A poststorytelling survey assessed participant demographics. Two coders conducted tool-assisted (Dedoose v.8.3.35) thematic analysis on narrative storytelling videos and transcripts.

Results

Storytellers were predominantly White (79/118, 66.95%), female (76/118, 64.41%), and non-Hispanic (109/118, 92.37%) with college/vocational education (50/118, 42.37%). Common themes were found related to living donation challenges for donors and recipients (eg, the fear of not being able to complete the LDKT process, of unsupportive family or rejected donation requests, and of unknown or adverse surgical outcomes and graft rejection) and recommended coping strategies (eg, seeking LDKT information, using prayer, and relying on a support network). Recipients provided advice that included being proactive and staying hopeful, whereas donors recommended seeking support, researching LDKT to comprehensively learn, and building a community of support.

Limitations

Limited representation of diverse demographics.

Conclusions

Although supplementary to traditional education about LDKT, digital storytelling provides a source of peer support that can enhance the experience of donors and recipients and encourage autonomy and self-management after transplant.

Inside OCD: Perspectives on the Value of Storytelling with Individuals with OCD and Family Members

The Center for Arts in Medicine at the University of Florida (UF) partnered with the UF Center for OCD, Anxiety, and Related Disorders to develop a storytelling program for individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and their families. Over ten weeks, participants shared stories regarding their experiences with OCD and engaged in theater and storytelling exercises. In collaboration with each other and the facilitators, participants workshopped and transformed their stories into a cohesive theatrical performance. Participants performed in front of a live audience and engaged in a post-show discussion with the audience, which focused on the diagnosis of OCD, stigma regarding the illness, and the benefits of the program. Program members participated in a post-program focus group and completed a qualitative and quantitative online survey. Participants reported improved understanding of their OCD, more acceptance from family and friends, less shame and guilt related to their OCD, and more confidence about sharing their OCD stories. Although the program was not designed to be therapeutic, participants also reported therapeutic value. Preliminary findings of this study suggest storytelling programs can lead to a reduction in both self-stigma and community stigma; improvement of understanding of the lived experience of OCD by families, loved ones, and clinicians; and facilitation of interpersonal connections.

Web-based experiential learning strategies to enhance the evidence-based-practice competence of undergraduate nursing students

BACKGROUND

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is considered a key competence for practicing high-quality and safe nursing. However, undergraduate nursing programs continue to provide traditional classroom teaching strategies that have limitations in facilitating the development of critical competences for engaging in EBP in real clinical contexts.

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN

The purpose of this study was to develop a web-based experiential learning program aimed at improving the engagement and experience of nursing students in EBP. A quasi-experimental research with non-equivalent control-group with non-synchronized design was used to describe the process of program development and the innovative learning method, and discuss the outcomes of the program.

METHODS

The experimental group was exposed to a web-based experiential learning program, while the control group received traditional learning with written material. Self-reported EBP scores (knowledge and skills, attitude, and practice) and clinical-questioning confidence were evaluated to assess the effects of the program.

RESULTS

The result showed that web-based experiential learning strategies were effective in significantly improving the EBP knowledge and skills score (F = 12.29, p = .001) and the score for confidence in asking clinical questions (F = 12.14, p = .001). The attitudes toward EBP (F = 0.75, p = .389) and practice score (F = 3.22, p = .076) did not show a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group.

CONCLUSION

The web-based experiential learning was found to be an effective method for enhancing the EBP competence of nursing students. Based on the study results, we suggest using web-based experiential learning to supplement the traditional learning method or as the mainstream learning method for nursing students.

Using Narratives to Teach Students Enrolled in Science and Medical Science Bachelor's Degree Programs

INTRODUCTION

Narratives (as opposed to stories) can assess multiple facets of the same problem through the viewpoints of different characters.

METHODS

Narratives related to three cancer patients, from diagnosis to cure or death, were used to teach seven cancer-related themes in a Cancer Pathology course offered to third-year medical science and science (college) undergraduates.

RESULTS

The majority of students preferred narrative-based learning compared with traditional learning methods because they felt that it improved their learning experience and retention of information.

CONCLUSION

Narrative-based learning may improve the learning experience of students by contextualizing complex concepts and highlighting real-world applications of knowledge.

How medical teachers use narratives in lectures: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

There are strong theoretical arguments for using narratives in teaching and learning within medicine, but little is known about how they are used in medical lectures. This study explores the types of narratives lecturers use, the attitudes of lecturers and students to the use of narratives in teaching, and the aspects of learning that narratives may facilitate.

METHODS

Observation of three medical lectures was followed by one-to-one interviews with the respective lecturers, and separate focus group interviews with medical students who attended each of the three lectures.

RESULTS

Lecturers used a variety of narratives on a range of themes, from clinical cases to patient experience narratives or narratives about their professional careers. Students and lecturers highlighted key aspects of narrative learning: for example providing a relevant context, as a "hook" to engage the audience, and as a memory aid.

CONCLUSION

The findings support existing literature which suggests that narratives may be a useful tool for learning in medicine. This study suggests that narratives tap into several key learning processes including providing a relevant context for understanding, engaging learners, and promoting memory. For medical students in lectures, narratives may be particularly relevant in promoting humanistic aspects of medicine, including professional identity and empathy.

A systematic review of creative thinking/creativity in nursing education

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review aimed to identify the types of nursing course structure that promotes students' creative thinking and creativity.

DESIGN

Systematic review.

DATA SOURCES

Five electronic databases: The British Nursing Index, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus and Ovid Medline.

REVIEW METHODS

The databases were systematically searched to identify studies that discussed the concept of creative thinking in nursing education or reported a strategy that improved students' creative thinking. Qualitative studies or studies that included qualitative data were included. After reading the full content of the included studies, key themes and concepts were extracted and synthesized.

RESULTS

Eight studies were identified. Four main themes relating to the course structure in teaching creativity were developed: diversity learning, freedom to learn, learning with confidence and learning through group work.

CONCLUSIONS

To promote creative thinking in nursing students, educators themselves need to be creative in designing courses that allow students to learn actively and convert thoughts into actions. Educators should balance course freedom and guidance to allow students to develop constructive and useful ideas. Confidence and group work may play significant roles in helping students to express themselves and think creatively.

Storytellers as partners in developing a genetics education resource for health professionals

Advances in genetics are bringing unprecedented opportunities for understanding health and disease, developing new therapies and changes in healthcare practice. Many nurses and midwives lack competence and confidence in integrating genetics into professional practice. One approach to enhance understanding of genetics is to simulate clinical exposure through storytelling. Stories are acknowledged as a powerful learning tool, being understandable and memorable, stimulating critical thinking, and linking theory to practice. Telling Stories, Understanding Real Life Genetics is a freely accessible website that sets people's stories within an education framework. The links between the stories and professional practice are made explicit and additional features support learning and teaching. Care of the storytellers within an ethical framework is of paramount importance. Storytellers are viewed as partners in the project. The challenges encountered include preserving the authentic voice and dignity of the storyteller. Project team members have also experienced 'professional shame' when negative experiences have been recounted, and the stories have had an impact on the team. The experience of working with storytellers has been positive. The storytellers want to be heard so that others will benefit from their stories. They serve as a reminder of why this work is important.

Tell me a story--a conceptual exploration of storytelling in healthcare education

The importance of storytelling as the foundation of human experiences cannot be overestimated. The oral traditions focus upon educating and transmitting knowledge and skills and also evolved into one of the earliest methods of communicating scientific discoveries and developments. A wide ranging search of the storytelling, education and health-related literature encompassing the years 1975-2007 was performed. Evidence from disparate elements of education and healthcare were used to inform an exploration of storytelling. This conceptual paper explores the principles of storytelling, evaluates the use of storytelling techniques in education in general, acknowledges the role of storytelling in healthcare delivery, identifies some of the skills learned and benefits derived from storytelling, and speculates upon the use of storytelling strategies in nurse education. Such stories have, until recently been harvested from the experiences of students and of educators, however, there is a growing realization that patients and service users are a rich source of healthcare-related stories that can affect, change and benefit clinical practice. The use of technology such as the Internet discussion boards or digitally-facilitated storytelling has an evolving role in ensuring that patient-generated and experiential stories have a future within nurse education.

Storytelling: its place in infection control education

It is generally accepted that hand hygiene is the single most effective measure to prevent health care associated infection. Similarly, education is thought to be the cornerstone of effective practice. While common sense supports the notion that hand hygiene compliance would be enhanced by producing a well informed health care worker, traditional didactic methods of teaching are often poor at invoking and sustaining behaviour change. Storytelling is gaining popularity as an educational activity as it is said to stimulate thought, reflection and enhance the learning experience. This paper, describes one way in which storytelling may be used within a hand hygiene improvement strategy.

Teaching Reproductive Options Through the Use of Fiction: The Cider House Rules Project

Alternative teaching strategies such as storytelling and the critical reading of literature are thought to help students develop their critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and cultural sensitivity and thereby better understand the context in which their patients live and make decisions. Such teaching methods are ideally suited for examining morally complex issues such as reproductive options. This article describes an alternative approach to teaching the complex personal, social, and moral issues surrounding the topic of reproductive options. The critical reading of the book, The Cider House Rules, provides a unique opportunity for students to obtain insight and understanding of the complex circumstances under which women and their families make reproductive decisions.