The undergraduate nursing students' experience and perceptions of aesthetics education: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND

Nursing's dual identity as an art and a science requires a balance within the curriculum. Aesthetics in nursing education, in the form of a course, a program, or an activity, is helpful to empower future nurses with aesthetic knowledge and competence in caring for patients in an artistic and humanistic way. However, the integration of aesthetics into nursing curricula remains underexplored.

AIM

To describe the undergraduate nursing students' experience and perspectives of aesthetics education, as a reference to the potential benefits and challenges of nursing aesthetics education.

DESIGN

Descriptive phenomenology qualitative approach.

METHODS

Purposive and snowball sampling were used to recruit participants from different provinces in China from July to August 2023. Data were collected through online individual interviews with 16 participants. Data were analyzed using the Colaizzi method.

RESULTS

Three themes and 12 subthemes were extracted. The themes were Growth through internalizing values and externalizing actions, unique connotations of nursing aesthetics, and expectations and suggestions for nursing aesthetic education.

CONCLUSIONS

The students had a deep understanding of aesthetics' role in nursing practice and profoundly improved their personalities, professional competence, and commitment through aesthetics education.