What is the value of studying the humanities in the field of health professions?
Hello professor and class,
What is the value of studying the humanities in the field of health professions?
The values of studying humanities in the nursing field is to be able to understand how human function, feel, and act in relation to disease and pain. We cannot solve a medical problem unless we take in consideration the specific psychological and personal history of the patient which includes not only their medical history but their values, beliefs , spiritual needs, religion and how they perceive disease, pain , healing and death. All these aspects about the patient as a human will help us as medical professionals take a holistic approach in making clinical decisions and successfully execute a care plan that helps the patient in the healing process.
As described in this week’s lesson ” The humanities are the study of human culture. While most other disciplines look to explain facts, the humanities seek meaning” ( week 1 lesson). Also, the humanities help us understand and relate to people – a crucial factor in building and maintaining relationships and, thus, in providing effective health care. Improving medical practitioners’ abilities to understand and relate to patients is one of the primary issues the emerging interdisciplinary field of medical humanities is trying to address (Miller, 2014)
· How might a topic such as art, literature, music, dance, etc. from other time periods enhance your career and personal life in the present?
Topics such as art, literature, music, dance, etc. from other time periods not only they give us an immense pleasure by awakening our imagination, intensifying and complementing our own experience. They represent people, cultures, values, and perspectives on living and help us learn how to shape our own lives by using previous people’s experiences, which will certainly help us grow and be successful in what we do in the present , economically and professionally and most importantly, to act and hold on to our human values in current challenging times.
· Select one aspect of the humanities that is meaningful to your personal life and one for career. Explain how is each meaningful.
The most meaningful aspect in humanities that fascinates me is when traveling to either Europe or north Africa and purposefully visit museums, cathedrals and old neighborhoods, admiring architectural arts in ancient buildings. Arts, such as geometric design and floral motifs that were created based on beliefs and values, such beliefs can be religious; avoiding the use of human or animal images is preferable in Islam resulting in the spread of floral motifs and geometrical patterns. How builders and architects -who are in my opinion great Artist- carved into stones, plaster and woods stunning designs that represents how deeply they care about beauty and nature really fascinates me and pushes me to deeply think about the past and how it is shaping our present. In addition, music plays an important role in my life. The sound and the lyrics are ways people express themselves . It is the way people connect and understand each other. Music makes me happy. I can’t imagine having to live without it, I would have no feelings and no emotions.
· In addition, include a specific example of a work (a specific work of art, literature, theater, or music) that you feel is meaningful to your personal life and/or career. Explain the connection.
Leonardo da Vinci – The Fetus in the Womb (c 1510-13). Leonardo expresses the human condition in a nutshell – his rendition of the womb resembles an opened horse chestnut (buckeye) casing. Inside is the beginning of us all laid bare. Five hundred years ago, this artist and scientist could portray the human mystery with a wonder that is not religious but biological . He holds up humanity as a fact of nature. It is for me the most beautiful work of art in the world. This work of art has shaped todays science/anatomy and helped us understand humans’ bodies the way we understand today.
Another work of art in music that really fascinates me and gives me an immense pleasure is “Time to Say Goodbye” by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman (1997) , a fascinating creation and work of collaboration between two very sensational artists that triggered a special alchemy that allowed one to enhance the expressive qualities of the other and inspire us to collaborate with each other in the work place to produce a better patients outcomes and more productive and cohesive team.
References :
Miller, L.(2014).Health Care and the Humanities; Training in the humanities can help medical practitioners better understand, relate to, and care for their patients. Retrieved from: https://hdo.utexas.edu/health-care-and-the-humanities/:
Week 1 lesson, Humanities .Chamberlain university.
https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/72025/pages/week-1-lesson-the-value-of-the-humanities?module_item_id=9787017
How did Leonardo Da Vinci influence the Renaissance? https://dailyhistory.org/How_did_Leonardo_Da_Vinci_influence_the_Renaissance
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