Andrea Smorti
Florence University, Italy
Title: Using narrative in nursing care: a method to enhance nurses education
Biography
Biography: Andrea Smorti
Abstract
Statement of the problem. The present work aims a highlighting two possible strategies to enhance nurse caring through narrative methods. The use of narrative as a tool to improve patients’ elaboration of the illness is the base of the psychological support in many medical fields as Narrative Medicine has recently demonstrated. Because diagnosis of illness and illness in itself determine a biographic disruption in the patient, narrative constitutes an useful tool in nursing care because the patients and their relatives can better understand their experiences, and this can reduce possible negative effects coming from painful events. Methodology & Theoretical Orientation. The Authors present two main strategies that have been employed in their studies. The first strategy, used in paediatric field, consists in the repetition of narratives. Patients and their relatives are encouraged to narrate their experience with illness different times in different days. The second strategy, used in oncologic field, consists in autobiographic interview with nurses and clinicians and then in requesting them to reflect on it. Findings. Narratives become more coherent and cohesive and patients and relatives can give a sense to their experience. If narrative occurs in a empathic listening relationship the memory of the event changes and the narrators finds in their experience positive and acceptable aspects. Conclusion & Significance. Overall these two strategies confirm the efficacy of narrative as an instrument the staff can use for a better comprehension of the patient and for helping the patient to develop a better self comprehension