Susan J. Farese, MSN, RN of SJF Communications taught her “Capturing Your Creativity with Haiku” Reflective Practice virtual workshop for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Students for the Hahn School of Nursing at the University of San Diego (USD) on July 15, 2025. 

Many thanks to Bri DuBose, PhD, MHI, RN, LSS BB Clinical Associate Professor for the invitation!

Susan presented her PowerPoint slides discussing the origins of and several key points about Haiku. She demonstrated several ways that Haiku can relate to Nursing (i.e. aesthetic knowing, creative outlet, perceptions of clinical events, expressions of caring, self-care, values clarification, nursing roles and/or conflicts, coping and more)!

Along with the PowerPoint, Susan showed her own nature photography as prompts for writing Haiku and shared several of her Haiku related to the photos with a Nursing focus.

Participants were asked to think about moments in nursing and create a Haiku from either their best or worst day in nursing (or in their life). Alternatively, they also had the choice to create a Haiku of their own choosing, but focused on nursing. The suggested syllable length for each line was 5-7-5.

Thanks as always to all of the participants for attending, interacting and sharing their wonderful work!

Please note: The Haiku are anonymous for privacy reasons.

Enjoy this wonderful compilation of celebrating and defining Nursing Arts with Haiku!

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One path many steps
Caring through the hardest days
Cancer can’t take that

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Best shift of my life
Evicting leukemia
Bone marrow transplant

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Small hands held—
brave giggles echo—
in pediatric patients.

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Worst shift of my life
Bifurcating oxygen
Covid took them all

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Protective factor
“Please tell me, what is yours?”
She smiles, “Prince Harry”

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Frustration with you
Choosing comfort over care
Baby cries silent

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Hope pressed into tiny chests-
Grief filled every breath
Mother’s cries remain

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Waves upon the screen,
Silent hearts speak in rhythms—
I listen, I guard.

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Emergent sirens sound
Rush rush rush, still don’t forget
Importance of touch

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Tiny pills, big weight
charts, side effects, endless names,
Sleep lost to dosage

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Covid took a toll
Some wounds are not seen outside
Forever changed now

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Chaos and stress build
I look to a friend for help
We succeed as one

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This side of the bed.
Blurring the lines of knowing.
Helping you, help me.

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Dance with me, my friends
Through planets filled with wonder
I will go alone

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Blood on my black shoes
Deafening silence, defeat
Pandemic deceits

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Bodily loss hurts
Seek meaning in given signs
Hummingbirds are mine

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Gentle hands hold time.
Stories bloom in wrinkled skin.
I pull up a chair.

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“No longer with us.”
Time moves on but grief remains,
Folded into life

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For more information, or to schedule a Haiku workshop with Susan J Farese, SJF Communications, please email info@sjfcommunications.com or sjfcommunications@gmail.com.