Ashton Dougan is an assistant professor in the UPEI Faculty of Nursing and a PhD candidate whose research explores simulation and creative pedagogy in nursing education. She believes that art isn't just expression—it's a powerful tool for building empathy and ethical understanding in future nurses.

In her NURS 3030: Issues in Nursing course, Ashton gave students the option to explore complex ethical concepts through original artistic works: songs, poetry, sculpture, and visual art. The response was remarkable, as 62 out of 89 students chose the creative path. At the end of term, Ashton transformed her classroom into an art gallery, inviting artistic faculty colleagues to serve as graders. The experience was so impactful that 14 students have since committed to co-authoring a scholarly paper about the project.

The work caught wider attention when Ashton and her students presented at the 2025 Atlantic Regional Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (ARCASN) Conference—where one student even performed an original song, "Healing Hands," written for the occasion.

Watch our Faculty Spotlight video to hear Ashton talk about how art-based pedagogy is changing the way nursing students learn empathy.