The Dynamics of Visual Art Dialogues: Experiences to Be Used in Hospital Settings with Visual Art Enrichment

Objectives. Given that hospitals have environmental enrichment with paintings and visual art arrangement, it would be meaningful to develop and document how hospital art could be used by health professionals. Methods. The study was undertaken at an art site in Sweden. During 1-hour sessions, participants (n = 20) get together in an art gallery every second week five times. Results. According to the participants a new value was perceived. From qualitative analyses, three themes appear: raise association, mentally present, and door-opener. In addition 72% of the participants reported makes me happy and gives energy and inspiration, and 52% reported that dialogues increase inspiration, make you involved, and stimulate curiosity. Conclusion. The present study supported the view that visual art dialogue could be used by health care professionals in a structured manner and that meaningful art stimulation, related to a person's experiences, could be of importance for the patients. Implementing art dialogues in hospital settings could be a fruitful working tool for nurses, a complementary manner of patient communication

Exploring communication skills training in undergraduate nurse education by means of a curriculum

This study is an attempt to investigate by means of a curriculum how nurses are trained theoretically and practically throughout their specialist education to communicate competently and professionally in interaction with colleagues and patients. Research today shows that there are many different approaches to develop professionally skilled communication in nurse-patient interaction. It indicates that this aspect of nurse education is regarded as an important feature by educators. It is therefore of interest to study, by means of analysing a curriculum, how nurses’ communicative competence is developed. To this purpose a curriculum was presented related to nursing communication skills training, selected from a University College of Health Care Sciences in Sweden. Both students and teachers need clearly defined curricula to structure their studies and to evaluate communication skills. The investigated curriculum could be further developed to direct students and teachers in effective communication skills. It is of importance to have a curriculum that could be interpreted in the same way by teachers and student

Exploring communication skills training in undergraduate nurse education by means of a curriculum

This study is an attempt to investigate by means of a curriculum how nurses are trained theoretically and practically throughout their specialist education to communicate competently and professionally in interaction with colleagues and patients. Research today shows that there are many different approaches to develop professionally skilled communication in nurse-patient interaction. It indicates that this aspect of nurse education is regarded as an important feature by educators. It is therefore of interest to study, by means of analysing a curriculum, how nurses’ communicative competence is developed. To this purpose a curriculum was presented related to nursing communication skills training, selected from a University College of Health Care Sciences in Sweden. Both students and teachers need clearly defined curricula to structure their studies and to evaluate communication skills. The investigated curriculum could be further developed to direct students and teachers in effective communication skills. It is of importance to have a curriculum that could be interpreted in the same way by teachers and students

Konstkultur för ett hälsosamt åldrande

Konstkultur såsom musik, dans, bild och litteratur är inte enbart att betrakta som förströelse, utan är viktiga inslag i debatt om kultur och hälsa. I dagens forskning finns belägg för att konstkultur ugör en viktig faktor för psykisk och fysisk hälsa, inte minst för äldre. Att vara nöjd med livet på äldre dagar beror med säkerhet på många skiftande faktorer varav konstkultur utgör en viktig del. Inom forkningen finns kontrollerade interventions studier som visar att samtal som genereras av konstbilder kan påverka kroppsliga och mentala funktioner i gynnsam riktning. Konstkultur bidrar till positiva upplevelse, vilket uttrycks av äldre i termer av; att fångas av en skönlitterär berättelse eller ett musikstycke ger en positiv känsla. Biblioteksbesök och konstkultur gör livet meningsfullt och utgör en källa till glädje.The purpose of this study was to examine the importance of aesthetic forms of expression, meaning music, dance, paintings and literature in later life. During the last years the humanistic functions of aesthetics have been a most important part in debate on health. Results revealed aesthetic forms of expression were important for elderly individuals in promoting successful aging. Several examples are presented showing positive effects in controlled intervention studies, physically and psycologicallt. The aesthetic forms of expressions contribute to physical and intellectual activities, as well as to interaction with other people. Aesthetic experiences were related to feelings of timelessness and spacelessness, and serve as sources of gratification.

Konstbilden i vårdarbetet, ett kommunikativt redskap

Författaren beskriver betydelsen av olika konstformer för fysisk och psykisk hälsa med fokus på vårdpersonalens erfarenheter av konstbilders användbarhet i samtal med äldre vårdtagare. Författaren lyfter även fram betydelsen av bildval för olika vård situationer. Bildserier med olika tema såsom lekande barn har använts av vårdpersonal i komunikation med patienter i syfte att locka fram varieration i samtals ämnen. Bildval för vårdsamtal måste göras med omsorg, hänsyn måste tas till metoder i bildpsykologisk- och konstpsykologisk forskning avseende betraktarens bildperception och bildreaktion, samt bildpreferenser och känslor som kan uppstå i bildbetraktandet. Rekommendationer presenteras hur vårdpersonal kan praktisera strukturerade bildsamtal i vilka den äldre personen uppmuntras att ta en aktiv del i samtalet. Betydelsen av konst har beskrivits av antikens filosofer. De såg en länk mellan konsten och livet. Bilder, drama, dans och musik måste finns i det dagliga livet och betraktades som helande för kropp och själ. I dagen forskning verifieras och vidareutvcklas de antika filosofernas tänkande.The author describes the meaning of aesthetics for physical and psychological well-being, and health professionals’ experiences of visual art as a conversation tool with elderly persons. The author also lifts forward the meaning of selection of paintings to be used in different hospital settings. Selection of paintings to be used with patients has to be made with care, and take into consideration methods in psychological- and art research on aesthetic reactions to and perception of art, preferences and feelings which may arise in a spectator. Series of paintings with varying themes such as playing children have been used by health professionals to bring forth a variety of topics to be discussed. Recommendations are presented on how health professionals could practice conversations to stimulate and encourage the elderly person to take an active part in the conversation. The meaning of aesthetics has been formulated by ancient philosophers who saw a natural link between art and life. Painting, drama, dance, and music are observable parts of every day life, and they were regarded as a cure of body and mind. Research of today verifies and develops the thinking of our ancient philosophers

Exploring communication skills training in undergraduate nurse education by means of a curriculum

This study is an attempt to investigate by means of a curriculum how nurses are trained theoretically and practically throughout their specialist education to communicate competently and professionally in interaction with colleagues and patients. Research today shows that there are many different approaches to develop professionally skilled communication in nurse-patient interaction. It indicates that this aspect of nurse education is regarded as an important feature by educators. It is therefore of interest to study, by means of analysing a curriculum, how nurses’ communicative competence is developed. To this purpose a curriculum was presented related to nursing communication skills training, selected from a University College of Health Care Sciences in Sweden. Both students and teachers need clearly defined curricula to structure their studies and to evaluate communication skills. The investigated curriculum could be further developed to direct students and teachers in effective communication skills. It is of importance to have a curriculum that could be interpreted in the same way by teachers and student

Exploring communication skills training in undergraduate nurse education by means of a curriculum

Abstract This study is an attempt to investigate by means of a curriculum how nurses are trained theoretically and practically throughout their specialist education to communicate competently and professionally in interaction with colleagues and patients. Research today shows that there are many different approaches to develop professionally skilled communication in nurse-patient interaction. It indicates that this aspect of nurse education is regarded as an important feature by educators. It is therefore of interest to study, by means of analysing a curriculum, how nurses' communicative competence is developed. To this purpose a curriculum was presented related to nursing communication skills training, selected from a University College of Health Care Sciences in Sweden. Both students and teachers need clearly defined curricula to structure their studies and to evaluate communication skills. The investigated curriculum could be further developed to direct students and teachers in effective communication skills. It is of importance to have a curriculum that could be interpreted in the same way by teachers and students

Health effects on leaders and co-workers of an art-based leadership development program

Background: There are very few evaluations of the effectiveness of leadership development programs. The purpose of the study was to examine whether an art-based leadership program may have a more beneficial effect than a conventional one on leaders' and their corresponding subordinates' mental and biological stress. Methods: Participating leaders were randomized to 2 year-long leadership programs, 1 art-based and 1 conventional, with follow-up of the leaders and their subordinates at 12 and 18 months. The art-based program built on an experimental theatre form, a collage of literary text and music, followed by writing and discussions focused on existential and ethical problems. Results: After 18 months a pattern was clearly visible with advantage for the art-based group. In the art group (leaders and their subordinates together as well as for subordinates only) compared to the conventional group, there was a significant improvement of mental health, covert coping and performance-based self-esteem as well as significantly less winter/fall deterioration in the serum concentration of the regenerative/anabolic hormone dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate. Conclusions: Our findings indicate a more beneficial long-term health effect of the art-based intervention compared to a conventional approach. Positive results for both standardized questionnaires and biological parameters strengthened the findings. The study provides a rationale for further evaluation of the effectiveness of this alternative educational approac