From procedure to presence: A pedagogical evaluation of experiential touch-based training in nursing education
Keywords:
experiential learning, nursing education, affective touch, emotional intelligence, person-centred care, qualitative research.Abstract
Background and aim: Nursing education increasingly emphasizes relational and emotionally intelligent care. While technical skills remain essential, the ability to form therapeutic relationships and deliver person-centred care is a core competency. Emotional intelligence (including empathy, self-awareness, and communication) is linked to resilience and reduced burnout. Intentional and affective touch is a powerful, yet underexplored, modality for fostering emotional connection and reflective practice. This study explores how experiential learning involving touch influences nursing students’ emotional awareness, perception of care, and professional identity.
Methods: A descriptive qualitative design was used with pre- and post-intervention open-ended questionnaires. 161 Bachelor of Nursing students across two campuses participated in workshops led by nurse educators. Data were collected in March–April 2025 and analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis. Semantic maps were constructed to trace conceptual development.
Results: Students’ perceptions evolved from technical interpretations of touch to deeper, person-centred understandings. Pre-course themes focused on acquiring relational tools and viewing touch as a gesture of trust. Post-course responses reflected emotional engagement and recognition of touch as a communicative and ethical act. Semantic maps revealed five central concepts—Caring, Contact, Being a Nurse, Person, and Body—with empathy, trust, and safety as key relational anchors.
Conclusions: Experiential learning involving intentional touch fosters emotional awareness and relational depth. Despite limitations, the study highlights the pedagogical value of touch-based training, advocating its inclusion as a communicative and compassionate act. Future research should explore its long-term impact on clinical practice.
References
1. Christianson KL. Emotional intelligence and critical thinking in nursing students: integrative review of literature. Nurse educator. 2020;45(6):E62-5. doi: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000000801
2. Horta Reis da Silva T. Integrating compassion and empathy into nursing education: enhancing patient-centred care. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. 2025;36. doi: 10.47408/jldhe.vi36.1347
3. Sadeghi A, Purfarzad Z, Behdokht K. Nursing students’ compassion competence: impact of emotional intelligence and fear of compassion in a cross-sectional study. BMC Medical Education. 2025;25:335. doi: 10.1186/s12909-025-06884-7
4. International Council of Nurses. The ICN code of ethics for nurses [Internet]. 2021. Available from: https://www.icn.ch/sites/default/files/inline-files/ICN_Code-of-Ethics_EN_Web.pdf
5. Dugué M, Sirost O, Dosseville F. A literature review of emotional intelligence and nursing education. Nurse Education in Practice. 2021;54:103124.
6. Hojat M. Empathy in health professions education and patient care. Springer Int Publ; 2016.
7. Suresh G, Amirtham S. A study on the effect of empathy on patient satisfaction in nursing care. Int J Nurs Educ Res. 2016;4(2):202-5.
8. Arnold E, Boggs K. Interpersonal relationships: professional communication skills for nurses. 8th ed. Elsevier; 2019.
9. Szczygiel DD, Mikolajczak M. Emotional intelligence buffers the effects of negative emotions on job burnout in nursing. Front Psychol. 2018;9:2649. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02649
10. Jawabreh N. The relationship between emotional intelligence and coping behaviors among nurses in the intensive care unit. SAGE Open Nurs. 2024;10:23779608241242853. doi: 10.1177/23779608241242853
11. Nagel DA, Penner JL, Halas G, et al. Exploring experiential learning within interprofessional practice education initiatives for pre-licensure healthcare students: a scoping review. BMC Med Educ. 2024;24:139. doi: 10.1186/s12909-024-05114-w
12. Rønning SB, Bjørkly S. The use of clinical role-play and reflection in learning therapeutic communication skills in mental health education: an integrative review. Advances in medical education and practice. 2019:415-25.
13. Maghsoodi E, Alikhah H, Rezaiy SG, et al. Exploring the impact of role-playing in enhancing nursing education: a systematic review of pedagogical outcomes and student competency development. Nurse Education Today. 2025;152:106763.
14. Burgess JE, Gorton KL, Lasiter S, et al. The nurses' perception of expressive touch: an integrative review. J Caring Sci. 2023;12(1):4-13. doi: 10.34172/jcs.2023.31903
15. Sandnes L, Uhrenfeldt L. Caring touch as communication in intensive care nursing: a qualitative study. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2024;19(1):2348891. doi: 10.1080/17482631.2024.2348891
16. Wilson M, Gettel V, Walsh J, et al. Caring compassionately for hospitalized patients: can nurse-delivered massage address compassion fatigue? Int J Hum Caring. 2016;20(3):146-54. doi: 10.20467/1091-5710-20.3.146
17. Pedrazza M, Berlanda S, Trifiletti E, et al. Variables of individual difference and the experience of touch in nursing. West J Nurs Res. 2018;40(11):1614-37. doi: 10.1177/0193945917705621
18. De Luca E, Fatigante M, Zucchermaglio C, et al. “Awareness to touch”: a qualitative study of nurses’ perceptions of interpersonal professional contact after an experiential training. Nurse Educ Pract. 2021;56:103187. doi: 10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103187
19. Creswell JW, Poth CN. Qualitative inquiry and research design: choosing among five approaches. 4th ed. SAGE Publications; 2018.
20. Polit DF, Beck CT. Nursing research: generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice. 11th ed. Wolters Kluwer; 2021.
21. Orb A, Eisenhauer L, Wynaden D. Ethics in qualitative research. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2001;33(1):93-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1547-5069.2001.00093.x
22. Beauchamp TL, Childress JF. Principles of biomedical ethics. 8th ed. Oxford University Press; 2019. doi: 10.1080/15265161.2019.1665402
23. Braun V, Clarke V. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual Res Psychol. 2006;3(2):77-101. doi: 10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
24. Wheeldon J, Ahlberg MK. Visualizing social science research: maps, methods, & meaning. SAGE Publications; 2012. doi: 10.4135/9781483384528
25. World Medical Association. World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki: ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects. JAMA. 2013;310(20):2191-4. doi: 10.1001/jama.2013.281053
26. While A. Touch: knowledge and considerations for nursing practice. British Journal of Community Nursing. 2021;26(4):190-4. doi: 10.12968/bjcn.2021.26.4.190
27. Hill B. Research into experiential learning in nurse education. Northumbria University; 2017.
28. Pepito JAT, Babate FJG, Dator WLT. The nurses' touch: an irreplaceable component of caring. Nursing open. 2023;10(9):5838-42.
29. Tengblad J, Airosa F, Karlsson L, et al. “I am Here”—The importance of caring touch in intensive care. A qualitative observation and interview study. Journal of Holistic Nursing. 2023;42(3):254-64. doi: 10.1177/08980101231198723
30. Ruffin PT. A history of massage in nurse training school curricula (1860-1945). Journal of Holistic Nursing. 2011;29(1):61-7. doi: 10.1177/0898010110377355
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Lorenzo Righi, Enrico De Luca, Stefano Trapassi, Beatrice Pisani, Christian Ramacciani Isemann, Massimo Spighi, Fulvia Marini, Claire Nutt, Vianella Agostinelli
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Transfer of Copyright and Permission to Reproduce Parts of Published Papers.
Authors retain the copyright for their published work. No formal permission will be required to reproduce parts (tables or illustrations) of published papers, provided the source is quoted appropriately and reproduction has no commercial intent. Reproductions with commercial intent will require written permission and payment of royalties.
How to Cite
