THE HUMANITIES AND NURSING - USING POPULAR LITERATURE AS A MEANS OF UNDERSTANDING HUMAN-EXPERIENCE

The rapid advances in technology during the twentieth century have enc ouraged science and technology to be the main focus of the nursing cur ricula. The effect of this focus tends to hinder the importance of the human condition. This paper discusses the benefits of including the h umanities, particularly but not exclusively the inclusion of literary study in nursing curricula. It is argued that the study of popular lit erature by students of nursing provides them with the opportunity to u nderstand and to appreciate life experiences. This assists them in gai ning awareness and sensitivity to the many physical and psychological components of people's reactions to health, illness and hospitalizatio n. The power of literary study to promote an appreciation of the hurt and pain of disease is considered by the authors to be an effective te aching tool within a comprehensive programme for students of nursing.