Drama and Learning in Nursing Education. A study in first and second cycle

Abstract

Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was to explore and describe the nature of students learning through drama in nursing education, in first and second cycle. Methods: Study I was conducted as an integrative review of the literature. Study II was performed as a qualitative phenomenographic study were 16 nursing students was interviewed. In study III 43 group assignment by nursing students in first cycle were analyzed using Qualitative content Analysis. Study IV was conducted as a qualitative phenomenographic study where 15 nursing students in second cycle was individually interviewed. Results: The findings in study I showed that drama can be used effectively in nursing education to enhance students’ learning. The summarized results of the empirical studies (II–IV) showed that drama enabled the students to learn about themselves and develop a higher self-awareness. Learning through drama also gave the students opportunities to learn about others by exploring the perspectives of colleagues, patients, and patients’ next of kin in fictive nursing situations. The findings showed in addition that drama could make the theoretical course content more concrete and easier to grasp. Learning through drama activated the students’ learning by offering them the possibility to be active and explore various roles and scenarios, and by promoting reflection in which they could share experiences with their peers. By participating in drama, the students reached an evolving identification with the profession of a nurse (II–III) and of a specialist nurse in paediatric care (IV). Conclusion: Drama in nursing education has the unique potential to prepare nursing students in both first and second cycle for their future nursing role. Through drama, students are given the opportunity to explore and gain knowledge about how to use theoretical knowledge in practice, about their inner selves, and about other person’s perspectives.