1-845-558-7061

Elaine Van Buren-Rizzo

RN, MSN, CCRN

evbrizzoRN@gmail.com

Humanism is a philosophy for education that focuses on the student as a person. It

allows for the student to be valued for who they are and helps them to become the best they
can be. It, more specifically, encourages the student to decide how much, or how long, or even
just how to learn something. There is a respect for individuality and differences are to be
explored. There is no cookie cutter approach, no one size fits all. Students are learning about
themselves as well as what they are being taught. This process requires they be supported and
that their dignity be maintained. The educator must be willing to be flexible and approachable.
While there may be certain constraints to the necessary content of a lesson and a timetable in
which to accomplish certain tasks, there is always respect for the individual human in the
program.
In nursing education, there is a focus on the patient as an individual with a unique
history and context within a healthcare situation. The nurses task is to identify the subtle
variables and tailor the care for each person they encounter. There are many options, but
choosing the best one requires respectful collaboration between the nurse and the patient. It
is more than a reflexive, almost mechanical prescription to be assigned. There is a synergistic
effect when a mutual plan of care is created. Just as there are many different patients, there
should be a variety of nurses to care for them. Teaching nurses to respect patients for who
they are and how to help them be the best they can be, begins with teaching students in a
similar fashion.