Metaphors in healthcare narratives and practice: powers and pitfalls

Throughout history, metaphors and figurative language have been used in health and social care to aid communication, visualise illness and conceptualise thinking. This article, the second in our series on narratives in nurse education, critically explores the meaning and resonance of metaphors’ utility in narrative inquiry. It presents student reflections of metaphors heard throughout their engagement with personal stories of health and illness during their programme.