Learning Objective #1: Describe the background and purpose of the class

Learning Objective #2: Discuss recommendations based on student evaluations

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The Art of Sympathy: Exploring Loss & Grief is a class within our Esthetic Ways of Knowing in Nursing course. The goal of this class is to have students explore loss and grief through artistic expression. An in-depth exploration of loss, grief, expressions of grief, and nurses' comfort with the grief of others (patients, families, friends, nurses), as well as nurses' own grief, is undertaken. A portion of the class is an open discussion of the concepts of loss, grief, mourning, and bereavement. A portion of the class involves students constructing sympathy cards to real or imagined persons experiencing some form of loss or grief. Discussion is encouraged as cards are constructed. Reminiscence is encouraged throughout the exercise. Having nurses confortable with the concepts of loss, grief, bereavement, and mourning will benefit those they care for, both individuals and their families. Loss and grief, in others and ourselves, can be an uncomfortable area to apporach. Having a safe environment, the classroom, to explore thoughts and feelings around loss and grief may increase comfort levels of these individual nursing students. As these students graduate and enter the work force, this increased level of comfort with loss and grief will follow them into their world of health care. The goal, as always, is to improve the care of individuals, and their families, facing loss and grief. Students' evaluation of both the content of the class and the application of art as a way of discussing the class content of loss, grief, bereavement, and mourning, and examples of their work will be presented.