Stoic Nursing: Philosophy at the Bedside

About the Course

Stoic Nursing: Philosophy at the Bedside is an online course designed for nurses from any healthcare setting. Using the wisdom of this ancient Greek philosophy, this course aims to revitalize nurses’ spirits, supports professional resilience, strengthens our commitment to love, heal, and care for others, and reinforces the positive perspective about the nature of our chosen work.

In a short eight weeks, we work together through Stoic teaching about living ‘the good life’ and becoming one’s best person. Using familiar case studies encountered by nurses at work, we will apply Stoic principles, such as perceiving what we do or do not control, seeing life through a virtue lens – courage, wisdom, justice, and self-mastery, and practicing settling our emotions when they threaten to overwhelm us. 

Learn that nurses and Stoics have much in common: a love for others, a sense of duty, and a high moral ground with which they try to walk. And a love of the natural human experience! Stoic philosophy is a different but powerful way of thinking about the world and one’s place in it.  

This course takes place in Moodle, an online learning platform, with three Zoom calls. Activities, readings, videos, case studies, and blog postings provide a diverse and interesting mix of lessons.

Consider taking this course with a colleague or team from your workplace! You can enter the program at any time.

* Rolling admission – Start Anytime

Schedule of Lessons and Events (example)

Your Mentor

Dr. Kathryn Bucher, RN, DNP, FCSP is the developer of this eight-week multimedia, interactive program. In addition to being a nurse herself, she is also an alumnus, a faculty member, and a board member of the Foundation that operates the College of Stoic Philosophers. A skilled facilitator, Dr. Bucher also provides on-site and virtual training to healthcare systems and schools of nursing. 

Course Content and Assignments

Each weekly module centers on a Stoic topic, which will be discussed online, along with a healthcare-based case study. 

Instructional materials include short video lectures, readings, podcasts, and worksheets. A Zoom conference will be held for all participants at the halfway mark, as well as at the end of the program.

For this asynchronous course, you can complete weekly assignments for this course at your convenience. You will want to be able to allocate between 2-4 hours/week to the program. However, because the program progresses each week, it is important to keep up with the weekly assignments!

Technology needed for the Course

For this online course, you must have a reliable internet connection and a computer. For Zoom meetings, either your computer’s webcam or a smartphone will work.

Required Textbook

Choose one (1):

Brad Inwood (2018) Stoicism: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press ($11.95 on Amazon as of Feb 2023)

Kai Whiting & Leonidas Konstantakos (2021) Being Better: Stoicism for a World Worth Living In, New World Library ($13.49 on Amazon as of Feb 2023).

Additional materials may be provided.

How to Apply

Complete the application form below and pay $75. Briefly describe your nursing training and experience and why you are interested in this course (250 words or less).

Please note: This training is not accredited for Nursing Continuing Education credits. A College of Stoic Philosophy certificate of completion will be awarded upon completion.

The College accepts students without regard to gender, race, religion, or nationality, provided the student is at least 18 years of age and has met our other admission criteria.