Background and aims Aesthetic Knowing provides understanding human reactions towards disease, health, events. Study was conducted qualitatively to understand what chronic disease expressed to children with chronic diseases by intern nurses with Aesthetic Knowing.

Methods Study was conducted with 25 intern nurses caring 25 children aged 9–18 years hospitalised at paediatric clinics of a university hospital in Turkey. Ethical approval and consent from students, children, parents were obtained. Aesthetic Knowing education was given to students prior to study. Students wanted children to express what it meant to have chronic disease by painting (8) or article-poem-letter (17) based on their preferences. Focus group interview was done to learn experiences of students, recorded and themes (meaning of chronic disease for children, benefits of Aesthetic Knowing, experiences of students about using Aesthetic Knowing in nursing, contribution of Aesthetic Knowing to nursing) were determined after content analysis.

Results Opinions of students about chronic disease were; fear, anxiety, concern, stress, anger, pain, feeling of guilt, impact on routines, school lives, life styles, quality of life, social and psychological support needs, future uncertainty, limitations of disease (medications, diet).

Opinions of students about benefits of Aesthetic Knowing and its usage in nursing were; entering inner world of children, understanding feelings of pain, anger, guilt, increasing empathy, trust relations, communication, provision of holistic care, improving quality of care, integrating family into care, noticing patient needs, providing patient self-expression.

Conclusions Aesthetic Knowing is recommended to use in nursing education and patient care to understand children reactions and direct care.