I am amazed at the creativity of those who teach nursing topics that are nonconcrete and hard to grasp. Recently, I reconnected with a colleague I had worked with at Ocshner Foundation Hospital in New Orleans. Kathy Carter, MSN, RN, is now a nursing instructor at College of Nursing, Northwestern State University, in Nachitoches, LA. She teaches psychiatry/mental health nursing. Kathy shares her creative approach to teaching a very tough topic in a way that is hands-on and creative.
She writes:
I have given them a homework assignment. They are assigned to "make a paper bag" that represents their patient. I included a brown paper lunch bag with the instructions below. This helps me best use my post conference time, helps me to assess their level of understanding, helps them to help each other, get experience presenting, and so on.
HOW TO MAKE A PAPER BAG
The purpose of this activity is for you to present a patient to the rest of the group. The presentation will be done during postconference and should last no more than 15 minutes.
1. On the outside of the bag, write the patient's external characteristics and appearance. Make this as plain or as "fancy" as you want. Ideas include cutting pictures out and gluing them to the bag, using different media, or using different colors (or the same) depending on the patient's personality. The outside of your bag should reflect the patient's outside appearance. This may include some symptoms of the illness (e.g., mask-like faces, increased use of make up in patients with bipolar disorder).
2. On the inside of your bag, place information about the patient's strengths and weaknesses, past history, the DSM diagnosis (all five axes), defense mechanisms, and so on. You may use slips of paper with characteristics on them or objects (such as medicine bottle to indicate a past overdose). Be as creative as you want. The inside of the bag should reflect your best guess as to how the patient feels inside.
3. Discuss three nursing outcomes and corresponding nursing interventions you are using with the patient. Evaluate your progress with the patient. You will be graded more on the content than on format, but make it as interesting as possible for the rest of the group.
Kathy reports a new enthusiasm in the students and herself when using this idea. She has also made a bulletin board of all of the bags. It has not only been a board that all of her students taking psychiatry enjoy, but it has also peaked the curiosity of those students yet to take the course. It is applicable to many nursing staff development topics.
Thank you, Kathy, for sharing your creativity and innovation with us!