Expert patient illness narratives as a teaching methodology: A mixed method study of student nurses satisfaction

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd Objective To evaluate nursing students' satisfaction with Expert Patient Illness Narratives as a teaching and learning methodology based on patient involvement. Methods and Design Mixed methods were used in this study: online survey with quantitative and qualitative items designed by researchers. Settings and Participants Sixty-four nursing students of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, attending a Medical Anthropology elective course. Results Women more frequently considered that the new learning methodology was useful in developing the competency “to reason to reason the presence of the triad Health-Illness-Care in all the groups, societies and historical moments” (p-value = 0.02) and in that it was consolidated as a learning outcome (p-value = 0.022). On the other hand, men considered that this methodology facilitated the development of critical thinking (p = 0.01) and the ability to identify normalized or deviant care situations (p = 0.007). Students recognized the value of Expert Patient Illness Narratives in their nursing training as a way to acquire new nursing skills and broaden previously acquired knowledge. This educational innovation improved nursing skills and provided a different and richer perspective of humanization of care. Conclusions The results of the present study demonstrate that nursing students found Expert Patient Illness Narratives satisfactory as a learning and teaching methodology, and reported improvement in different areas of their training and also the integration of new knowledge, meaning, theory applicability, as well las critical and reflective thinking. Involvement of patients as storytellers also provides a new humanizing perspective of care. Nonetheless, further studies of Expert Patient Illness Narratives are needed in order to improve its benefits as a teaching and learning methodology.