Two Art Forms Illuminating the Lived Experience of People “Waiting to Know”

“Waiting to know” is a phenomenon uniquely experienced by contact persons—individuals exposed to persons with life-threatening illnesses, such as Ebola hemorrhagic fever (Ebola) but yet to exhibit signs and symptoms of the disease. Art forms representing these experiences can illuminate and enhance the appreciation of this phenomenon. Using thematic statements derived from written descriptions of experiences, selected art works such as painting and music, illustrate the experience of “waiting to know.” Through the art works’ describing thematic statements, encounters are appreciated anew, facilitating the understanding of the uncertainty of the moment. Understanding the meaningful expression of living the experience through these arts acknowledge the process of nursing as knowing persons as whole and complete in the moment, living their lives fully with hopes, dreams, and aspirations.