The following is a sampling of what students had to say about their experience with the course:
- “I feel more confident in my gifts so I will be able to bring my whole self to caring for my patients without self-doubt.”
- “I’ve made a commitment to honor my own voice.”
- “I’ve learned to practice generous listening. To allow silence. To allow the grieving process without feeling like I must ‘fix’ something.”
- “The experience was centered around remembering that our power as nurses comes from our own personal life experience as well as the technical skills and intellectual learning that we have done.”
- “The experience was more intimate than in other courses. I felt accepted, validated, and could share my feelings in a nonjudgmental environment.
- “This is the first time I’ve connected with faculty as person-to-person nursing peers rather than faculty/student, learner/power relationship role dynamic.
- “In other classes, interactions were related to learning facts and skills. I am interested in hearing about faculty experiences for practical purposes. I have never had such a profound connection with a faculty member before, because the usual settings of the classroom and office hours do not allow for that.”
- (Concerning fellow classmates) “I’ve learned they are all incredibly supportive people who just want to be the best nurses possible. I’m proud to call them colleagues.
- “I am so glad I had the opportunity to see genuine sides of all my classmates. I feel more affirmed and supported by them and I hope we can share that support with other classmates.”
- “I’ve learned that I am enough and I am here to learn clinical skills. I am already a healer!”
- “Healing is a human experience.”
- “I’ve learned what a rewarding and dynamic field nursing is!”
- “Being able to connect with other nurses and nursing students on an emotional and experience level made me feel like I belong.”
- “I am ready to be a nurse and super excited to get started! (Before I was more unsure/apprehensive.)”
- “I feel part of a larger lineage of healers that have also experienced success, loss, struggle, challenge, and joy.”
- “We connected on a very personal level. My respect and sense of connectedness with this group of people is phenomenal!”