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I chose this topic after being inspired by one of my peers' discussion posts. After they talked about one of their experiences in the clinical setting about the power of "holding space," it stuck with me and taught me the importance of presence. It's not just about "doing" but being "with" the patient and providing support in different ways.

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Even during a patient's most difficult times, presence and silence can mean so much. It shows how it's not about fixing the problem at the moment with words or doing, but being fully with the patient. In the photo, feelings of tension, uncertainty or suffering is present. But the power comes in the nurse's presence of sitting there, eyes closed, unpacking the whole human experience of the situation.

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I find this topic especially interesting as we are in our mental health clinical this semester. During my experience as a registered practical nurse working with the elderly, oftentimes with dementia, I feel like healthcare providers can default to assumptions about patients based on their diagnoses. I wanted to dig deeper into why this can hurt patient care and limit their prognosis.

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This quote captures the quiet strength of nursing presence. Through nursing, I've recognized that care often is loudest through simple acts and not words. This quote shows the power of offering comfort and care through presence.

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Younas, A. (2020). Relational inquiry approach for developing deeper awareness of patient suffering. Nursing Ethics, 27(4), 935–945. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733020912523

Hobbs, P. S., du Plessis, E., & Benadé, P. (2020). Here and now: Lived experiences of professional nurses practising caring presence in a rural public hospital in the North West Province, South Africa. Health SA Gesondheid, 25(3). https://doi.org/10.4102/hsag.v25i0.1405

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This image represents the internalized shame and external judgment that often accompany mental illness and personal struggles. The tangled scribble and person symbolize emotional distress, while the eyes reflect how stigma and labelling from themself and others can isolate and silence people. This image reminds me that people must be able to recognize these biases to create a healthier environment for people to express their true feelings. This can help those struggling with mental health a safer, more accepting space for healing.

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This collage I completed helps reflect the highs and lows of mental health in nursing. I decided to collect words that I found relevant to my nursing experience this semester. This reflects the complexity and depth of nursing, with countless words being used to describe multiple scenarios. Words like "normal" and "problems" are heard every day and become normalized, but can carry a negative meaning and label people, worsening one's mental health. This collage reflects how words can be so powerful within nursing, and we must be wary of how this can affect others.

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Similarily with the power of presence, I chose this topic to further emphasize the importance of multiple approaches to nursing care. Throughout the semesters, one of the main focuses I have observed is the care vs caring aspect. I think this perspective is very important in nursing, and shows how important it is to stay open-minded and adaptable to different approaches to nursing care.

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As a nurse, sometimes you can feel lost about knowing what to do when dealing with an overwhelming or emotional situation. This topic discusses these complex interactions, through moments of joy, grief, anxiety, and the raw human connection that shapes every nurse's identity.

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Nurses are often positioned as a vital part in the support of a family in maternity and mental health care, but can come with tension. Families can offer comfort and advocacy for patients, but can also cause unintentional stress and possible conflict. This topic helps us recognize that every family dynamic is different, shaped by culture, trauma and personal history. Family collaboration means balancing support with boundaries to ensure the patient's voice remains central in care.

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This song captures the emotional significance of human connection through physical touch. The lyrics, "Everytime we touch, I get this feeling... I swear I can fly", speak to the power of touch to communicate comfort, safety, care and even confidence like the song. This resonates exactly with how therapeutic touch is used in nursing practice. Through hand holding or a gentle touch on the shoulder, it speaks more than words, providing empathy and comfort that does not need to be said. By choosing this song, it shows how touch is not just a nursing thing. It is relational and emotional.

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This image describes the essence of nursing and therapeutic touch. As the nurse hold's the patient's hands, sitting at eye contact, this act communicates empathy, compassion and consideration, all without a single word being exchanged. This shows how therapeutic touch is essential in developing a meaningful therapeutic relationship, where the patient can trust and voice their true feelings.

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Pepito, J. A., Babate, F. J., & Dator, W. L. (2023). The nurses’ touch: An irreplaceable component of caring. Nursing Open, 10(9), 5838–5842. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1860

Pinar, S. E., & Demirel, G. (2021). The effect of therapeutic touch on labour pain, anxiety and childbirth attitude: A randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 41, 101255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2020.101255

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Cypher, R. L. (2024). Words Have Power: Stigmatizing Language and Bias Transmission in Documentation. Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing, 38(1), 12–14. https://doi.org/10.1097/jpn.0000000000000796

Dossett, E. C., Stuebe, A., Dillion, T., & Tabb, K. M. (2024). Perinatal Mental Health: The need for broader understanding and policies that meet the challenges. Health Affairs, 43(4), 462–469. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2023.01455

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This photo captures the beauty of childbirth. After the emotional intensity, there is a moment of joy, vulnerability, exhaust, and awe, but the family displays their smiles. It is always satisfying to see happiness in your patients as it feels like you are doing things right. These moments defy what it means to be a nurse. Whether it's laughter or tears, no matter the moment, we will always continue to honour the full emotional journey that patients go through.

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In contrast to the first artifact, this photo illustrates the emotional reality of the patient. Sometimes, when you can't smile through it all, there are moments of. grief, fear, and sadness. Whatever the emotion, what it means to be a nurse is to validate these feelings and not brush them aside. This acknowledgement and support of emotional expression not only comforts the patient, but improves trust. This photo is an example of what it means to be human and understand the patient as a whole.

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This image reflects the core of collaborative care with the family. It displays a shared space of communication, empathy and decision making. The nurse and patient both look at the family members, illustrating that their opinions are also valued. Families can provide critical emotional support to patients by reinforcing care and fostering trust in delivering the desired needs of the patient. This photo also displays the delicate balance of support in partnerships with the family and the nurse. It is not just the nurse's job to make the patient feel seen and heard, but also to make the family feel seen and included. This shows that collaboration can be complex, but when done, is deeply impactful.

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This diagram visually represents the core aspects of patient care. It illustrated the interconnectedness between families, patients and the interprofessional team, a relationship that requires all three to be involved. If one of the three is not involved, we as nurses are limiting the ability to deliver the best possible care for the patient. This model displays that the family, client and healthcare provider all have defined roles that are essential in initiating the core aspects of care. This artifact reinforces that partnering with families is not just a value, but a practical framework that guides how we, as nurses, engage with those who matter most to our patients.

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Hambidge, S., Cowell, A., Arden-Close, E., & Mayers, A. (2021). “what kind of man gets depressed after having a baby?” fathers’ experiences of mental health during the perinatal period. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 21(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-021-03947-7

Lartey, J. K., Osafo, J., Andoh-Arthur, J., & Asante, K. O. (2020). Emotional experiences and coping strategies of Nursing and Midwifery Practitioners in Ghana: A qualitative study. BMC Nursing, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-020-00484-0

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Copland, F. S., & Hunter, S. C. (2025). Paternal perinatal mental health support: Fathers’ perspectives on barriers, facilitators, and preferences. Discover Mental Health, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-025-00165-x

Enlander, A., Simonds, L., & Hanna, P. (2022). “I want you to help me, you’re family”: A relational approach to women’s experience of distress and recovery in the perinatal period. Feminism & Psychology, 32(1), 62–80. https://doi.org/10.1177/09593535211047792