Creative play and ‘sympathetic presence’ in clinical practice and contemporary performance: an interdisciplinary pedagogical collaboration between Nursing and Applied Drama

Matt Jennings, Patrick Deeny

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Abstract

Creative play and ‘sympathetic presence’ in clinical practice and contemporary performance: an interdisciplinary pedagogical collaboration between Nursing and Applied DramaDr Matt Jennings, Lecturer in Drama, School of Creative Arts, Ulster University, mj.jennings@ulster.ac.ukPat Deeny, Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing, Ulster, University PG.Deeny@ulster.ac.ukKey Words: Empathy, Sympathetic Presence, Nursing, Applied Drama, Critical Reflection, Pedagogy. In the wake of critical reports on the National Health Service, there has been a drive to create a culture of care that delivers a dignified patient experience (O’Neill, 2013). Models such as Person-Centred Nursing (PCN) (McCormack and McCance, 2010) have emerged as frameworks for improvement in this area. One key feature of PCN is the concept of ‘sympathetic presence’, which deepens the notion of empathy and involves the nurse engaging with the patient ‘in the moment’ (McCormack and McCance, 2010, p 104). In fact, the model of ‘sympathetic presence’ represents a critique of the limitations of empathy, suggesting that it is neither desirable nor possible ‘to fully comprehend another individual’s particular experience’ (McCormack and McCance, 2010, p 102). Since 2013, students and staff of the Drama and Nursing degree programmes at Ulster University (UU) have collaborated in an interdisciplinary pedagogical project, incorporating approaches to applied drama and actor training to support work-based learning. Mental Health and Adult Nursing students (n= 600) have been introduced to Theatre of the Oppressed techniques (Boal 1979) and aspects of Stanislavski’s Method of Physical Action (Benedetti, 1998). These support skills assessments in Clinical Practice, whereby Nursing students engage in role play scenarios based on ‘real world’ encounters. Students provide a reflective account of the experience, using a framework derived from Asadoorian et al (2011). The evidence suggests that Nursing students have advanced in their understanding of ‘sympathetic presence’ and gained new insights into the patient experience. This paper will report on the latest iteration of that collaboration, which includes a new performance project. UU Drama students, responding to the collaboration with the School of Nursing, the work of Mark Storor and Bobby Baker (McAvinchey 2014) and the ethics of care (Noddings 1986; Held 1993), are devising a site-specific, interactive performance, Caring, for January 2017.References: Asadoorian, J., Schönwetter, D, J. and Lavigne, S, E. (2011) Developing Reflective Health Care Practitioners: Learning from Experience in Dental Hygiene Education. Journal of Dental Education 75(4), 472-484Benedetti, J. (1998) Stanislavski and the Actor. London: MethuenBoal, A. (1998) Theatre of the Oppressed. Trans. Charles A. and Maria-Odilia Leal McBride. London: Pluto Press.Held, V. (2005) The Ethics of Care: Personal, Political and Global. Oxford: Oxford University Press Noddings, N. (2013) Caring: A Relational Approach to Ethics and Moral Education. Berkeley: University of California Press.McAvinchey, C. (ed.) (2014) Performance and Community: Commentary and Case Studies. London: BloomsburyMcCormack,B and McCance,T. (2010) Person-centred Nursing; theory and practice. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell.McGarry, J. and Aubeeluck, A. (2013) A Different Drum: An Arts-Based Educational Program. Nursing Science Quarterly, 26(3), 267-273. O’Neill, K (2013) (ed.) Patient-centred Leadership; rediscovering our purpose. London: King’s Fund
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationUnknown Host Publication
PublisherN/A
Number of pages2
Publication statusAccepted/In press - 2 Nov 2016
EventPerforming Care Research Symposium, - Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (London)
Duration: 2 Nov 2016 → …

Conference

ConferencePerforming Care Research Symposium,
Period2/11/16 → …

Keywords

  • Ethics of Care
  • Aesthetics of Care
  • Medical Simulation
  • Sympathetic Presence
  • Person-Centred Care
  • Nursing
  • Applied Drama
  • Pedagogy and Training for health professionals

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