how does a humanities course contribute to an education in the nursing field?

by Julianne Stokes 3 min read

The inclusion of humanities in nursing curricula goes back to the early days of nursing education. Humanities were included so that graduates of nursing programs could respond to and change in a competitive health care delivery system.

The integration of the humanities increases the abilities for nurses to see the patient holistically, enhances understanding about self, increases sensitivity to the voices of others and facilitates alternate ways of learning (Smith et al., 2004).

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What is the importance of Humanities in Nursing Education?

Dec 24, 2014 · The works of the humanities scholars in the past have given us understanding of different cultures, how people develop fear, happiness or loneliness, and the proper approaches. Nursing students must learn this to use humanities in their daily shift. The more a nurse understands the patient, the more efficient they become.

What is the Humanities interface of Nursing and medicine?

The humanities interface of nursing and medicine. In the 1970s, the field of medical humanities developed and included ethics, literature, history, integrative medicine, and other topics, most often described from a physician's perspective. During this same period of revolutionary changes in health care, nursing curricula did not seek to emphasize ….

What are humanities courses?

How does a humanities course contribute to an education in the nursing field? Expert Answer. Who are the experts? Experts are tested by Chegg as specialists in their subject area. We review their content and use your feedback to keep the quality high. Humanities: Humanities is a Latin word Humanus.

Why study the Medical Humanities?

Oct 26, 2015 · The study of art, included in the humanities, can make an important contribution to a nurses’ various ways of knowing what is factual. There are also other complementary ways of knowing like ethical and aesthetical, both included in humanities. Arts and literature give a meaningful learning experience for nursing students.

How can humanities be incorporated into nursing?

Although the arts and humanities may not teach nurses to care, they can foster behaviours and a genuine sensitivity to the uniqueness of others. Integrating arts enhances nurses' (healthcare professionals') understanding of who they are, what it means to be human, and how it feels to care.Dec 31, 2020

What is the value of studying humanities in the field of health profession?

Medical humanities provide insight into human conditions, illness and suffering, perception of oneself, as well as into professionalism and responsibilities to self and others; colleagues and patients. All sciences included in Medical Humanities are important for the high quality education of future doctors.

Why is humanity important in healthcare?

The humanities foster the development of humanistic competence through reflective and reflexive thinking, advanced analytical abilities and increased appreciation for the perspectives of others. These qualities are essential for the CanMEDS collaborator, communicator, health advocate and clinician roles.

Is nursing considered humanities?

They are, in some way, our umbilical connection to our collective humanity and human becoming. In nursing, the humanities are implicit in the formal and experiential elements of the curriculum, given that nursing is both a humanist and professional field of study (Carper, 1978).

What are some of the benefits of learning about humanities?

4 Benefits of studying Humanities
  • Hone your creative mind. Studying humanities will help you interpret things better and much more clearly. ...
  • Improve your social skills. ...
  • Helps you understand the impact of technology, science and medicine. ...
  • Become “international”
Mar 11, 2015

Why are humanities important?

Through the work of humanities scholars, we learn about the values of different cultures, about what goes into making a work of art, about how history is made. Their efforts preserve the great accomplishments of the past, help us understand the world we live in, and give us tools to imagine the future.

How could the humanities contribute to better training of physicians?

in recent years, it has been stated that humanities also are an important tool in the training of physicians, as they may help the promote empathy, professionalism, and medical student self-care.

What do you study in humanities?

Within the humanities, most students major in English, history, religious studies, art history, philosophy, a foreign language, or area/ethnic studies. Many also pursue a general humanities or liberal arts major.Aug 26, 2020

How does medicine impact medical humanities?

And though often underemphasized in undergraduate medical education, medical humanities represents perhaps one of the most important lessons for students: the more that medicine is practiced with respect for these larger cultural, psychological, and social settings, the more holistically these settings will be able to ...

How will you define humanities?

humanities, those branches of knowledge that concern themselves with human beings and their culture or with analytic and critical methods of inquiry derived from an appreciation of human values and of the unique ability of the human spirit to express itself.Apr 19, 2022

What are the aspects of humanities?

From an academic standpoint, the humanities include the study of history, philosophy and religion, modern and ancient languages and literatures, fine and performing arts, media and cultural studies, and other fields.Mar 1, 2018

What is medical humanities and why?

Medical Humanities is a field of study that asks what it means to be human in the context of health and healthcare. It is a holistic response, uniting the arts, humanities, and social sciences to address needs in medical education, professional development, and patient care.

What is the importance of humanities in nursing?

The Significance of Humanities in Nursing. Humanities is the study of human culture. The humanities include human language (ancient or modern), history, literature, law, religion, philosophy and music. Scholars in humanities are commonly called humanists.

What is medical humanities?

Medical humanities is an interdisciplinary field of medicine consisting of the humanities, social sciences and the arts. When we say humanities, it involves different studies like the literature, religion, ethics, philosophy, and history.

Why do people study humanities?

In addition, Clayton State University, on its departmental website, listed the top 10 reason for people to study the humanities: 1 To practice the analytical thinking skills you need to be a successful student and employee. 2 To improve your skill at oral and written communication. 3 To see the interconnectedness of all areas of knowledge ― how it all fits together. 4 To develop a global perspective by studying cultures throughout the world. 5 To deepen your understanding and appreciation of other’s cultures and other’s points of view. 6 To support and strengthen your local arts community by learning to appreciate the importance of creativity. 7 To clarify your values by comparing and contrasting them to what others have thought. 8 To deepen your sources of wisdom by learning how others have dealt with failures, success, adversities, and triumphs. 9 To appreciate what is enduring and to be able to tell the difference between the meaningless and the meaningful. 10 To be inspired by some of the greatest minds and thoughts of the ages.

What is the humanities branch?

One of the branches of humanities is languages . If you know at least one additional language as a medical practitioner, you will have a lot more opportunity as a nurse. Talking to your patient is one thing, but communicating with them in their own language is a higher level of nursing entirely.

Why is art important in nursing?

It helps that you can be creative when dealing with your patient. Art can help to open the doors of trust between the nurse and patient. Artistic creativity is a way of thinking that transcends traditional nursing. Literature is also a study in humanities that is useful in nursing.

How to develop a global perspective?

To develop a global perspective by studying cultures throughout the world. To deepen your understanding and appreciation of other’s cultures and other’s points of view. To support and strengthen your local arts community by learning to appreciate the importance of creativity.

How to clarify your values?

To clarify your values by comparing and contrasting them to what others have thought. To deepen your sources of wisdom by learning how others have dealt with failures, success, adversities, and triumphs. To appreciate what is enduring and to be able to tell the difference between the meaningless and the meaningful.

Abstract

Abstract: Reports have indicated that nursing programs in the United States are not generally effective in teaching nursing science, natural science, the social sciences, and the humanities.

Article Content

In the last decade, there has been a revitalized recalibration of the focus of health care. We are once again convinced that the person, the human being, is indeed the center of the sum of all our efforts.

What is the humanities in medicine?

Humanities in medicine courses, meant to develop understanding of the human side of health care are increasingly found in our medical education programs. Baylor University in Texas became the first university to offer an undergraduate degree in medical humanities.

Why do we need humanities?

Why We Need the Humanities to Improve Health Care. When Dan Cohen founded Music and Memory in 2006, he had a simple idea: Someday, if he ended up in a nursing home, he wanted to be able to listen to his favorite '60s music.

What is narrative medicine?

Advertisement. There is increasing interest in a new field of study, narrative medicine , which aims to help health care workers incorporate the life stories of patients, including their own unique value system, into their options for treatment, so that it fits the individual.

What are human endeavors that affect our emotion and our spirit?

Telling stories, listening to music, making and enjoying art -- these are human endeavors that effect our emotion and our spirit. These are also the elements we need to see more of in our health care system as it becomes increasingly mechanized. Not everybody knows how to tell a story -- or listen to one -- and many people involved in health care ...

Why do we need humanities courses?

Humanities courses allow us to know something about peoples and cultures that are different from our own. And it's a lot easier to deal with things we understand. Besides, we can all stand to learn something from other people. There are good reasons for cultivating an understanding of other peoples and cultures.

What are the advantages of humanities?

One of the advantages of a humanities course is that it allows a very intentional discussion of the things one is never supposed to talk about in polite company - like politics and religion. Humanities is more than learning facts and figures -the "what?" of learning. There's much philosophy involved. It's the chance to raise questions about mysteries we've wondered about, sometimes for a long time. It's a chance to hear how others respond to the same questions we answer but with very different ways of answering them.

What are the critical thinking skills taught in humanities?

The critical thinking skills taught in a humanities course are readily applicable in law, nursing, engineering, international relations and hospitality management, to name a few. The abilities to reflect upon one's understandings, to be open to the other, to express one's ideas verbally and in writing in an informative and interesting manner are all major plusses in rewarding careers in virtually any field one could name. Learning to work together is a key skill for any career one might enter.

What is humanities degree?

The humanities refer to courses in two major categories , arts and culture, that are designed to enrich a student's knowledge ...

What is the humanities?

The humanities refer to courses in two major categories, arts and culture, that are designed to enrich a student's knowledge of the world beyond their own life. Even for degrees in engineering and physical sciences, at least a few humanities courses are typically required.

What is African American studies?

African-American studies is a common cultural focus at universities in the US, looking at the subculture that exists, the history, the role African-Americans have played in wider American history, and literature produced by African American authors.

What is the arts?

The arts is a foundation of humanities and includes studio arts, music, and literature. Low level courses in the arts which can be used to meet graduation requirements will typically cover the basics and founding principles without getting too in-depth.

What is the humanities?

First of all, the humanities are defined as academic disciplines focused on humans and human culture. They include languages, linguistics, literature, the arts, philosophy, religion, music, law, history, and archaeology. For many years, it used to be that the humanities were some of the most consistently popular areas of study in American colleges ...

Why are humanities important?

The answer to this is that there are in fact many reasons why the humanities are essential to a college education. In fact, they can even serve practical purposes and have economic benefits. The humanities teach important thinking and reasoning skills, including creative thinking, critical thinking, reasoning, good question asking, logic, ...

Why are humanities declining?

This is because they are not seen as being as worthy of attention as STEM fields ; that is, science, technology, engineering, and math fields, because they are not as practical and do not offer as many job opportunities.

Why are STEM fields important?

The reason for colleges and universities emphasizing the STEM fields over the humanities is that overall, for a number of reasons, the STEM fields are regarded as more important, serious lines of study than the humanities. There is much more obvious practical, “real-world” application for the STEM fields. We use math and science frequently ...