title: Seeing the forest and the trees: increasing nurse practitioner students' observational and mindfulness skills.
abstract: Accurate, objective observation is a critical component of clinical diagnosis and patient management, which in turn is essential for successful diagnostic reasoning by advanced practice nurses. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to enhance nurse practitioner students' observation and reflective thinking skills using Looking Is Not Seeing, a reflective practice/experiential learning technique that uses art objects to teach observation (Pellico, Friedlaender, & Fennie, 2009). Students' posttest observation and interpretation scores showed statistically significant improvement over pretest scores. Students' mindfulness scores and their own perceived observational and interpretive ability were statistically significantly higher after participating in the study. Building on the established record of successful visual literacy programs for nursing and medical students at other institutions, this research can help educators implement the Looking Is Not Seeing pedagogy.
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grossman
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deupi
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Leitao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001154:Art; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D064866:Mindfulness; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education*; D019370:Observation; D010781:Photography; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D013338:Students, Nursing; D055815:Young Adult