Narrazioni di gratitudine: esperienze e riflessioni

Introduction. The choice to offer nursing students a space for reflection about gratitude and cure is at the core of teaching activity focused on examining a little explored feeling that of-ten characterizes the relationship between patients and operators in places of healthca-re. Gratitude is meant as a positive response we get when we give or receive a benefit from someone. This paper aims to analyze the influence of gratitude and appreciation in settings of care and also to increase awareness for the well-being that is generated by the feeling of gratitude. Methods and tools. During the elective (ADE) held in February, March 2024 at the Nursing Degree Program in Turin, two meetings were held with 39 participants. During this ADE, participants were asked to write a story about an episode in which they felt gratitude for or experi-ence gratitude from another person. The narratives had been analyzed according to the qualitative content analysis methodology. Results. Thirty-eight narrative stories were examined. The analysis allowed us to identify some recurring themes, and the meanings traced back to the following categories: Trust and Bonds, Recognition and Appreciation, Human and Professional Growth, Gratitude as a Generator of Wellbeing. Reflections on the theme of gratitude present essential and common elements among students even if the context in which the episodes of gratitude are placed changes. Many students wrote about events that happened during their internship, others focus on experiences related to family and friendship contexts. Conclusions. From the stories, it emerges that the benefits of gratitude expressed by the students increase, in their perception, positive emotions, self-confidence, and confidence in their work, as well as about their own undertaking academic choices. Exercising gratitude in a conscious way helps to reflect on the personal and professional reality that students experience and contributes to strengthening positive feelings.