The educational benefits of drama in nursing education : a critical literature review

Background: With the increasing use of technology in nursing, the importance of interpersonal skills can often be forgotten. Patient safety can also be compromised if these skills are not emphasised in nursing education. Objectives: This review explores how drama in undergraduate and postgraduate nursing education can enhance the development of interpersonal skills such as empathy, emotional intelligence and communication. Design: A critical review of qualitative literature. Data sources: Seven databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, Eric, Psycinfo, and databases dedicated to the Arts, Modern Language Association (MLA) and JSTOR were searched. Review methods: Studies were screened against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data from studies selected for the review were extracted using a summary table and a thematic analysis was conducted to identify major themes to answer the research question. Results: 1275 studies were identified. Following a rigorous screening process, 29 studies met the inclusion criteria and were critically appraised using the CASP tool. Of the 29 studies, 17 were excluded due to their methodological quality. A final 12 studies were included in this review. Four themes demonstrated the value of drama in nursing education. These were an understanding of the patient experience, the development of professional identity, the enhancement of communication skills and increased self-reflection and critical thinking. Conclusions: Interpersonal skills are at the core of nursing and educational interventions that use drama can enhance the development of these skills.