To discuss how literature can be used to educate healthcare practitioners and students about the patient's physical and emotional response to treatment. All articles and literature were considered for possible inclusion in this article. Pertinent information, as judged by the author, was selected for discussion.
Literature can pose a wealth of information to the healthcare professional.
The author, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, loosely based the story on her own experience with the respected physician, S Weir Mitchell and his famous rest cure. Some biographical information about Mitchell and Perkins is included, as well as a commentary on the treatment of depression in the 19th century. As we strive to teach and deliver pharmaceutical care, we can use literature to help us understand the emotional impact of our drug therapies.