Group items tagged

Abstract: To prepare for community engagement and partnerships with diverse communities, nursing students must understand the principles of service-learning, as well as the essential skills needed to work within a democracy. The purposes of these two pilot tests were to develop a 15-hour service-learning intervention; refine the 15-hour service-learning intervention; and explore whether participation in the intervention made a difference in the critical thinking, cultural competence, and civic engagement of nursing student participants. Although the sample was small (n = 14), results of paired t tests found that, after the intervention, critical thinking scores measured by the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory were significantly lower (t = -2.23,p = .04), particularly on the self-confidence sub-scale (t = 2.29, p = .039); cultural competence scores measured by the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence Among Healthcare Professionals were significantly lower (t = 4.83, p = .000); and civic engagement scores significantly increased (t = -3.54, p = .004). Reprinted by permission of the publisher.

Abstract: Service learning combines community service with academic learning. Students learn and develop critical thinking through active participation in organized service experiences. The purpose of this study was to describe the growth of 94 nursing students' critical thinking through service-learning experiences. Results revealed two major themes: development of both professional and community perspectives. Outcomes of the study provide a framework for developing service-learning experiences across the curriculum. Reprinted by permission of the publisher.