Abstract
BACKGROUND: Graphic novels - full-length stories published in comic-strip format are a proven method for putting student nurses 'into the shoes' of health service users and offer nurse educators an alternative to traditional modes of instruction. Their use can support the teaching of palliative care related topics, which remains a challenge in nurse education. This study aimed to explore the views and perspectives of nurse educators about how the graphic novel Vivian could be used to prepare undergraduate nursing students for palliative care and beyond. METHODS: Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with 12 nurse educators at universities in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Sweden and analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Four themes were generated: (1) impact of visual storytelling, (2) arts-based learning in palliative care, (3) refinement of the graphic novel, (4) recommendations about future graphic novels. Participants noted Vivian's usefulness for teaching issues related to palliative care and the health care system, including gender inequities, ageing, and economic crises. CONCLUSIONS: There is scope to use arts-based learning when engaging audiences from diverse backgrounds. The educators stressed Vivian could help students think 'outside of the box' and stressed the importance of a teaching and learning approach that extended beyond textbooks to include other interactive forms. Future research is needed to adapt and refine the graphic novel by considering social and cultural contexts and evaluate how the graphic novel is implemented in nurse education across different settings and countries.