Welcome to Week 2 of the series - using Pixar’s storytelling framework in nursing education.
If you missed the first week, you can catch up below:
Week 1 - Principle #1
Importance of Story in Nursing Education
Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have as educators. When we engage with a story, we don’t just listen — we imagine ourselves in it, experiencing the emotions and situations firsthand. This connection makes stories stick with us longer, and it’s a tool we can definitely use to enhance our teaching!
But most of us have never learned how to craft or present an engaging story. So, in this series, we’ll explore the power of storytelling in nursing education through the lens of Pixar’s storytelling principles. As a bonus, I’ll include AI prompts to help you integrate these ideas into your writing and teaching. Let’s explore principle #2!
What is a story spine?
The story spine is a framework used by writers and creatives to build fascinating stories for any audience. As nurse educators, we can use it to write engaging case studies or simulations for our audience, our students. Created by playwright Kenn Adams, Disney and Pixar films have made it more popular and use it to craft their blockbuster movies.
Here is how it goes:
Once upon a time there was __. Every day, __. One day __. Because of that, __. Because of that, ___. Until finally __. And ever since then __.
Let’s break it down a bit further:
🏰 Once upon a time there was ___.
You don’t have to use this fairytale intro, but it reminds us as writers that we are responsible for letting the audience know who the protagonist is and what the setting is. I use this when creating my active learning decks in the “START” card.
📆 Every day, ___.
Once the main character (in writing case studies, this is the patient) and setting are established, the writer will set the scene for how life was for the patient before they were in the nurse's care. This may include their medical history, occupation, social context, or history of present illness.
🦄 One day ___.
In screenwriting, this is where something happens that changes everything. It is the event that pushes the main character to change their habits, set out on a quest, strive to achieve a goal, or fight an evil force that threatens to upset the world they love. In nursing education, this is the moment that the patient seeks medical care. They develop chest pain, they fall shoveling the driveway, they can no longer deny that they are experiencing fine motor tremors or they start to have contractions while pregnant.
For this section to be effective, as a writer, you will need to have the end goal in mind (this section is coming next week!), but be sure that you have the finale in mind - whether it is discharge from short-stay surgery, birth of a baby or starting a new medication.
📚 Because of that, __. (Part 1) Because of that, __. (Part 2)
Here is where the protagonist encounters obstacles. They must overcome smaller challenges on the way to a bigger goal. There can be many steps here, but the main character (in our case - the patient) should make progress. They may ask questions about care at home, tolerate a clear liquid diet, or change their dressing independently. This section is not limited to two parts; it can go on for as long as you like.
🏔️ Until finally ___.
This section is the emotional high point of the story. Everything comes together, the stakes are at their highest, and the main character must make critical decisions, overcome their fears, and undergo immense growth to be successful. Now, this does not always happen in real life, and there may not be an emotional high point in a patient’s journey, but when writing a case study, this is the final step before the end goal. There is not always cinematic drama around this, but if you can include a final hurdle, the story will be more engaging.
🤓 And ever since that day ____.
Finally, the story wraps up, and the conflicts are resolved. The scene sets a new normal for the patient as their world has likely changed since they encountered the nurse’s care. Maybe they are managing their diabetes at home, or learning to walk with a prosthetic after an amputation. This final section should highlight the patient’s actions (positive or negative) throughout the journey.
Need an Example?
The story spine can be easy to spot once you are looking for it. Here is applied to the popular Harry Potter books (by BookBird):
- “Once upon a time…”: Harry Potter, an orphaned boy, lived with his cruel aunt and uncle, unaware of his magical heritage.
- “And every day…”: Harry endured the hardships of life with his relatives, feeling unloved and out of place in the mundane world.
- “But one day…”: On his eleventh birthday, Harry received a letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, revealing his true identity as a wizard.
- “Because of that…”: Harry embarked on a journey to Hogwarts, where he befriended Ron and Hermione and discovered the mysterious connection between himself and the dark wizard Lord Voldemort.
- “Because of that…”: As the trio unraveled the secrets surrounding the Philosopher’s Stone, they encountered various challenges, magical creatures, and obstacles.
- “Because of that…”: Harry, Ron, and Hermione grew closer as friends, developing their magical skills and learning the value of teamwork and loyalty.
- “Until finally…”: Harry confronted Voldemort, protecting the Philosopher’s Stone and ultimately ensuring its destruction.
- “And ever since that day…”: Harry’s life was forever changed as he embraced his destiny as a wizard and continued his adventures at Hogwarts with his newfound friends.
Using a story spine to write a case study or a simulation can help you focus, give you an outline, and ensure that you create an engaging activity. Using a story spine as a guide will help you create an unforgettable case study.
AI Prompt for Principle #2
Similar to last week, I want to provide you with an AI prompt to help you use the story spine to develop your content further. Simply paste this prompt into an AI writing tool and change the [brackets] to your own information. If you tried last week’s prompt, use the same chat so that ChatGPT can use what it has already learned about the lesson you are working to develop. Give it a try and see what ideas it sparks!
🚨 A note about AI prompts: AI will not replace your nursing or teaching experience, so as always, use these alongside your own clinical judgment.
If you are not interested in using AI, no problem! Just use your knowledge, creative energy, and clinical expertise to go through the prompts on your own.
Try it out:
You can copy and paste this prompt into your AI tool of choice. Add your own information anywhere that you see [brackets].
You are continuing your work as a nursing curriculum consultant to help me build more active learning teaching techniques into my classroom. I would like you to use the following prompt to help me write an active learning [type of activity - case study, simulation, group project, etc.] for the previous content outline I provided.
Guidelines: I would like you to use a story spine as a framework for writing this activity. The format is:
Once upon a time there was - use the patient from above.
Every day - describe the patient’s life before they encountered nursing care.
One day - describe an event that occurred that forced the patient to seek medical care.
Because of that - describe one obstacle that the patient may encounter that a nurse would help overcome.
Because of that - describe another obstacle that the patient may encounter that a nurse would help overcome.
Until finally - include a final, difficult obstacle that is the story's emotional climax, and the patient must confront fears or overcome challenges.
And ever since that day - describe the new normal for the patient and how their life has changed since their medical event.
Overall goal: The content should focus on what nursing students need to know for entry into practice. These should follow the 2023 NCLEX RN Test Plan blueprint from the NCSBN.
Using AI is a helpful way to get your creative energy flowing, and help do some of the heavy lifting of developing a new activity. Remember, you can train ChatGPT to understand your work. As part of this series, there will be an AI prompt provided for each storytelling principle and if you use these in the same chat, ChatGPT will “remember” you and your course content.
Next week, we will explore the idea of starting with the end in mind and how to write an effective ending that brings the student to a meaningful conclusion. Talk soon! 👋
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