A first-year nursing project will look a little different in the future since the onset of Covid-19.

Last year, students conducted self-reflective studies – in in a non-traditional way – to learn to empathize emotionally with clients/patients, a core nursing education objective.

In Developing Therapeutic Relationships students were asked to paint rocks with phrases, words or illustrations that depict the emotions that a client might be experiencing.

"The goal of the project is to help nursing students develop a deeper understanding of what a client might be feeling," said Trudy Read, a now-retired nurse educator with the Western Regional School of Nursing. "Effective interpersonal communication is critical to proving safe, quality health care. A strong understanding of health care is fundamental and a nurse also has the responsibility to care for their clients' emotional well being through empathy by showing respect, developing trust and building rapport with clients as they receive care or treatment."

Through this assignment, students were asked to consider the following ideas as they painted rocks: what emotions would a client face, how can the emotion be demonstrated through art and, finally, what tools or communication skills could a nurse use to assist a client experiencing that emotion?

The project was designed to encourage idea sharing, increase students' confidence in public speaking, learn from others' viewpoints and to communicate verbally – all important communication skills they are being taught in class.

There was a wide range of emotion depicted on the rocks: optimism, hope and joy to loneliness, confusion and fear. Some students shared their art work publicly, by placing their creatively designed rocks on the Rock Wall in Corner Brook or on walking trails.

Corner Brooker Samantha Carberry, a second-year nursing student, explained that painting rocks was also therapeutic.

"It really took our minds off the stress of assignments and exams and really brought our focus back to what we are all working toward," said Ms. Carberry. "It reminded us that we are here for the patients during some of the best and worst times they may be going through in their lives."

By taking a few minutes of the day to stop and think about future patients and their perspectives of being in the hospital helped put their future careers in perspective, she said.

"Many of my classmates placed their rocks on a rock wall; however, I decided to keep mine as a reminder of what I am working toward whenever I feel like I lose track of my goal," she said, "to always be there for my patients physically and mentally. As well as the be the best future nurse I can be." 

Originally from Port Hope Simpson, Megan Parr is a second-year nursing student who has been living in Corner Brook for the last three years – she also decided to keep her creation.

"I painted a rock that said, 'healing is not linear,' and I kept it as a reminder to myself the importance of considering and attending to my patient's feelings and emotions as I proceed through nursing school and clinicals," said Ms. Parr, "I think it was important to dive into this aspect of care so we can be aware of it when delivering patient-centered, therapeutic care."

With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, students in the immediate future won’t be able to complete this hands-on research.

"I think it would be a great idea to continue implementing this activity with incoming students in some way," said Ms. Parr. "It is important to always consider how the patient may be feeling when caring for them, and this activity was a light, and most importantly, memorable way to do so."