SESSION
Sunday, November 13, 2005: 10:30 AM-11:45 AM
Special Session: Clinical Nursing as Improvisational Performance Art - Recapturing Nursing’s Soul
Learning Objective #1: Identify the connections, similarities and commonalities between artistic improvisation and clinical nursing
Learning Objective #2: Celebrate improvisation as the soul-center of nursing, within the performance art of nursing practice, research and education
The world of clinical nursing is complex, with innumerable factors pulling at professional nurses’ focus. Nurses are working harder, with longer hours, and greater responsibilities than ever before. Nurses’ time is consumed with managing the Unexpecteds, yet, despite this, nurses work diligently to create a moment to care. During such times, nurses can choose to re-humanize the health care situation by the unique dance that is improvisation professional practice. The purpose of this presentation is to examine, through lively dialogue, the characteristics of improvisational performance art, weaving a conscious connection with nursing as a discipline. We will joyously and playfully illuminate the remarkable artistry of expert practice and celebrate it as the soul-center of nursing.
Organizer:M. Cecilia Wendler, RN, PhD, CCRN

Sigma Theta Tau International
38th Biennial Convention - Clinical Sessions
November 12-13, 2005
Indianapolis, IN