The problems of exposing students to real life situations in which they can gain an insight into the dilemmas experienced by clients and staff are highlighted. The value of the Greek notion of catharsis (katharsis: a cleansing) is discussed and the use of literature is suggested as a means of providing students with vicarious experience of the real, but often inaccessible, situations in which nurses may have to make moral decisions.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Peters RSThe philosophy of education. London: Oxford University Press, 1975.
2.
Lonergan B.Insight: a study of human understanding. London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 1983: 174.
3.
Downie R.Calman KCHealthy respect: Ethics in health care. London: Faber and Faber, 1987: 36-38.
Wheelwright P.Mimesis and katharsis: an archetypal consideration. In Wimsatt WK ed. Literary criticism: idea and act. Berkeley CA: University of California Press, 1974: 120.
6.
Campbell L.Sophocles. New York: Appleton, 1880: 22-23. In: Young-Mason J. Literature as a mirror to compassion. J Prof Nurs1988: 4: 299-301.
7.
Young-Mason J.Literature as a mirror to compassion. J Prof Nurs1988; 4: 299-301.
8.
Allen R.The reality of responses to fiction. Br J Aesthet1986; 26 (1): 64-68.
9.
Hayman RRLeavis. London: Heineman, 1976.
10.
Watson J.Nursing on the caring edge: metaphorical vignettes. Adv Nurs Sci1987; 10 (1): 10-18.
11.
Bertman S., Krant M.To know of suffering and the teaching of empathy. Soc Sci Med1977; 11: 639-44.
12.
Bartol GMUsing the humanities in nursing education. Nurse Educ1986; 11: 21-23.
13.
Siegel M., Siegel C.The use of literature in professional nursing. Nurs Forum1977; 16: 156-64.
14.
McSweeney P.Sight and sound. Any use for the video found (parts 1 and 2)?Nurse Educ Today1986; 6: 172-75, 223-27.
15.
Surman U.Death with dignity. Nurs Pract1983; 1: 152-58.
16.
Kübler-Ross E.On death and dying. London: Tavistock , 1984.
17.
Tolstoy L.The raid and other stories: the death of Ivan Ilych. Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1986.
18.
Brown C.Collected poems. Newcastle: Camelot Press, 1982.
19.
Bradley M.More poetry please!London: Dent , 1988.
20.
Stevenson A.The sadness and the brilliance of Sylvia Plath . Cosmopolitan1989; (Nov): 113-18.
21.
Plath S.The bell jar. London: Faber and Faber, 1989: 151.
