Abstract
The dancing words
Concepts and theories of nursing are many
Guiding thinking about thinking about practice
But nurses struggle with being and doing
Holding new ideas in embodied space
Creative engagement as secondary concern
Be person-centred, caring, compassionate and kind
Be technically competent, skilful and wise
Be fleet of foot, reflective and decisive
Be cautious, risk averse, safe and controlled
Be ready to develop, learn, grow and improve
In knowing our knowing we aim for the whole
Embodying facts, figures, observation and detail
Holding all knowledge in the palms of our hands
Being able to act as fast as we can
Achieving outcomes for all to approve
Step in, the arts with creativity to hand
Enabling engagement with body and mind
Transcending concreteness and linearity
Spiralling knowing connected being and doing
Opening potentials for newness and emergence
Through the poem emerges essence words
Shining light on concepts and theories in place
Energised knowing felt through dancing words
Releasing the musicality of the already known
The yet to be known and questioning the unknown
Making ‘self’ vulnerable and open to uncertainty
Driving curiosity in a shared space for growth
The dance of caring partners in lines and verse
The student in suspension of movement and flow
Critically connecting with thoughts, feelings and doubts
Dancing words, wisely words, insightful words, holding words
Learning in collective critical space
Transformation through collective wisdom
Practice of knowing becomes doing
Poetry smiling on the faces of future caring nurses