Humanities in Medicine The Healing Power of Stories Continued

tion, many student nurses are accustomed to “doing for” rather than “being with” our patients. Students inevitably ask what they will be doing while they are on the mental health unit. Patients don’t usually look ill, after all. The majority of people are up and walking around. Most of them don’t even appear mentally ill. Not to the untrained eye, anyway. On the inpatient mental health unit, people are admitted in crisis. Many are suicidal. Many have substance use disorders. Some are homeless. Students tend to panic the first few days as they struggle to interact, terrified of saying the “wrong thing.”

Initially, students watch me interview patients. They comment on how open people are in talking about their struggles. We talk about the sense of relief and validation that comes with feeling seen and heard; with having one’s humanity validated rather than judged. Eventually, students do the interviews under my supervision. I can see the transformation taking place as I read their reflection journals over the weeks that they are with me. They use words like “fascinating,” “eye-opening,” and “misconception.” My exams can’t capture this change in attitude, but their writing clearly does.

As nurses, we are trusted with the most intimate details of people’s lives. We witness individuals and families at their most vulnerable. Within the sorrow, fear, and suffering, however, there are also glimpses of profound joy. Being a nurse means carrying around the stories of the people whose lives we’ve been priv- ileged to touch over the years. Some of the stories are heartbreaking. Without attending to our emotions, the heart eventually reaches a point where it can no longer break into smaller pieces. It either calcifies into an impenetrable fortress or it liquefies into a pool of pure emotion. Neither is conducive to proficient nursing care.

Between these extremes is the balance where tenderness and compassion can be found. While some might say that being tender-hearted is a liability, I would argue that it gives us the capacity for empathy. It is through this tenderness that we can access the humanity that inspires stories, poetry, and art.

Despite all of the advances in science and technology, there are limits to what can be explained empirically. Despite our best attempts, we always reach the edge of certainty and truth. The humanities fill in the gaps that empiricism cannot. The humanities allow us to navigate uncertainty with a sense of grace and creativity. They add color to an otherwise black-andwhite world.

Most of the students I teach will not go into mental health nursing, but I remind them that if they are caring for humans then they will be using the skills they have learned in my course. Humanities, like mental health, is a field of study that helps us to understand how people think and behave. Through learning and understanding human behavior, we acquire the ability to relate to and communicate with one another. This is fundamental to every aspect of health care. +

The Intersection of Art, Architecture, Biology, and Medicine: A Convergence of Disciplines Shaping Our World

Akil A. Sherif, MD

Throughout history, art has had a profound impact on various disciplines, including the field of medicine. The dynamic interplay between art and medicine has been a catalyst for the evolution of these fields, consistently driving progress forward. Art has long been revered as an expressive and communicative medium, but it has also played a critical role in how we perceive and comprehend the complexities of the human body and illness. Trailblazing artists have contributed greatly to the depiction, documentation, and innovation of our knowledge of the human anatomy and its intricate workings, inspiring significant advancements and breakthroughs.

During the Renaissance, a significant shift occurred in medical illustration and anatomical comprehension. Art and science intersected as innovative artists and anatomists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Andreas Vesalius embarked on meticulous studies of human anatomy, resulting in exceptional anatomical illustrations. Da Vinci’s in-depth drawings of the heart and circulatory system, for example, established the basis for cardiology studies. Similarly, Vesalius’ publication, De Humani Corporis Fabrica (On the Fabric of the Human Body), revolutionized the field of anatomy and presented an exhaustive visual guide to the cardiovascular system. These illustrations helped advance the evolution of modern cardiovascular medicine through the provision of significant insight into the heart’s configuration and function. In the 17th century, English physician William Harvey followed in the footsteps of his predecessors, including Vesalius and da