Grupos de encuentro: desarrollo de habilidades para la humanización del cuidado, a partir de la experiencia de aprendizaje de estudiantes de enfermería

The nursing profession implies qualities that enable the integral management of healthcare for the sick. Encounter groups, as a learning experience, allow students to recognize themselves and others in their health-sickness process. What have I learned for my personal and professional life from the experiences in this course?, was the question posed by the mental health team at a private university in Santiago. An external observer was witness to the educational strategy of encounter groups and, through field notes, was able to establish words, phrases and arguments that gave greater meaning to the experiential process. This was used to structure an instrument to measure student perception of the course and the learning outcomes, which was applied at the end of the experience. Through an anonymous online questionnaire, 112 students responded to the survey. The results are very enlightening: a high percentage rated the contents and experiences positively, stating that the course contributed to their life project, while reinforcing their vocation. The encounter groups strengthen and develop interpersonal and emotional support skills, and help student recognize their emotions, use their body as an indicator of what they are feeling, develop self-awareness, live in the present and integrate the person within the nursing professional, thus enhancing their ability to care for others, all key elements of the humanization of healthcare.