Changing students’ perceptions of the homeless: A community service learning experience

Gardner, J. Emmett; Emory, Jan

doi:10.1016/j.nepr.2018.01.001

Cited by 37 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Providing care 'on the streets' allows access to health care that is not traditionally available to the homeless, who trainees typically see in emergency rooms or urgent care settings. Intentional exposure to street medicine has the potential to provide in-depth teaching about addressing disparities, compared with passive exposure rotations in provider-centered ambulatory or hospital settings [12][13][14][15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inclusion of the homeless in health equity curricula: a needs assessment study

Feldman

Stevens

Lowe

et al. 2020

Medical Education Online

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Exposure to homeless patients is a potential strategy to teach about social determinants of health and health inequities. Little is known about student attitudes and preferences for learning about the homeless in curricula addressing vulnerable populations. A needs assessment to determine student readiness may inform strategies for teaching. A mixed-methods study of one matriculating physician assistant student class, with a cross-sectional survey and 3 focus groups (FG). The validated 19-item Health Professionals' Attitudes Toward Homelessness inventory (HPATHI) and new 7-item Learning Attitudes scale were administered to explore perceptions and preferences about relevance of caring for the homeless to future practice. FGs were conducted to theme saturation. Verbatim transcripts were independently read and coded by 3 researchers using constant comparison. Survey response rate was 100% (N = 60). Overall HPATHI mean score was 3.97 ± 0.04 of 5, indicating positive attitudes toward the homeless. The highest mean score (4.26 ± 0.04) was for the social advocacy subscale; the lowest (3.02 ± 0.06) for personal advocacy. The Learning Attitude scale (Cronbach's alpha 0.89) mean score was 4.47 ± 0.07 out of 5, showing a positive attitude toward curricular exposure. Older students and those with prior experience with the homeless had higher HPATHI scores (p < 0.05). Four major themes emerged: vulnerable patients cannot advocate for themselves; learning about homelessness is relevant to future practice; preference for multiple teaching strategies and adequate preparation for street rotations; and anticipated anxiety about safety. Students recognize the value of learning from homeless patients as part of gaining skills in caring for vulnerable populations. Experiential learning opportunities focusing on this group are seen as an acceptable and valuable way to gain skills applicable to all vulnerable patients. Students express fear and anxiety around non-traditional settings such as the street. Their anxieties should be adequately addressed when designing clinical rotations.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inclusion of the homeless in health equity curricula: a needs assessment study

Feldman

Stevens

Lowe

et al. 2020

Medical Education Online

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“…Several studies point to the role of service learning in fostering civic-mindedness and increasing empathy. Nursing students who engaged with patients who were homeless experienced increases in empathy and had a greater appreciation for the advocacy role that nurses play; similar research on nursing students who worked with patients who were homeless or living in low-income housing found increases in empathy and a sense of social justice (47,48). A service-learning course in which nursing students engaged with older adults enhanced a number of variables that included patient-centered care, compassion, and empathy (49).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Civic-Mindedness Sustains Empathy in a Cohort of Physical Therapy Students: A Pilot Cohort Study

Palombaro

Black

Dole

et al. 2019

Journal of Patient Experience

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Background: Empathy is critical to patient-centered care and thus is a valued trait in graduate health-care students. The relationship between empathy and civic-mindedness in health professions has not previously been explored. Objectives: (a) To determine whether significant differences occurred on the Jefferson Scale for Empathy–Health Professions Student Version (JSE-HPS) and Civic-Minded Professional scale (CMP) and its subscales across the curriculum, (b) to explore a potential relationship between civic-mindedness and empathy in a cohort of graduate physical therapy (PT) students at regular intervals, and (c) to explore the predictive ability of civic-mindedness on empathy scores. Methods: This study was a convenience sample of a cohort of 48 PT students who completed both the JSE-HPS and the CMP at 4 points of a service-learning intensive curriculum. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, a Friedman’s analysis of variance with Wilcoxon signed-ranks post hoc testing, and Spearman correlations with stepwise linear regressions. Results: Statistically significant differences were not found for the JSE-HPS. Civic-Minded Professional scores increased across the curriculum. The JSE-HPS, the CMP, and various CMP subscales were significantly correlated. The JSE-HPS pretest scores were predictive of the year 1 and 2 posttest JSE-HPS scores. Conclusion: This study’s findings indicate that service-learning and the resulting development of civic-mindedness supports empathy. Programs could use JSE-HPS pretests to identify individual graduate students need for empathy mentorship upon program entrance or as one admission criterion.

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“…There is an opportunity in nursing education to provide experiences with marginalized populations that have the potential to change biases that directly impact health disparities . The foot soak project is one such endeavor.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Students' global attitudes towards the homeless improved after the experience in addition to specific improvements in understanding the causes related to homelessness, solutions to combat homelessness, and willingness to affiliate with homeless individuals. Gardner and Emory, using a case study approach to assess service‐learning experiences of eight nursing students with the homeless, also identified the similar themes of decreased fear, a change in perceptions, and a better understanding of the advocacy role of the nurse.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

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The impact of a service‐learning foot soak experience on nursing students’ attitudes towards the homeless

Richmond¹,

Noone²

2019

Nurs Forum

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Background: Opportunities for meaningful engagement with the homeless can alter negative attitudes. The purpose of this study was to assess changes in attitudes towards the homeless among undergraduate nursing students participating in a service-learning foot soak experience.Methods: This was a prospective, pretest and posttest interventional study. Student attitudes were measured through: (a) the attitudes toward homelessness inventory and (b) thematic analysis of a guided reflection on the experience.Results: Mean posttest total scores (mean = 50.06; standard deviation = 7.004) were significantly (P = .001) higher from mean pretest scores (mean = 47.06; standard deviation = 5.455), indicating more positive attitudes towards the homeless (n = 47) after the clinic. Three categories of themes that reflected student experiences are as follows: (a) benefits, (b) context, and, (c) potential consequences. Conclusions:A foot soak clinic can increase studentsʼ understanding of experiences faced by homeless persons through genuine human interaction, and has benefits to community members and learners. K E Y W O R D S homelessness, nursing education, service-learning How to cite this article: Richmond R, Noone J. The impact of a service-learning foot soak experience on nursing students' attitudes towards the homeless. Nurs Forum. 2020;55: 236-243. https://doi.

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Changing students’ perceptions of the homeless: A community service learning experience

Cited by 37 publications

References 14 publications

Inclusion of the homeless in health equity curricula: a needs assessment study

Inclusion of the homeless in health equity curricula: a needs assessment study

Civic-Mindedness Sustains Empathy in a Cohort of Physical Therapy Students: A Pilot Cohort Study

The impact of a service‐learning foot soak experience on nursing students’ attitudes towards the homeless

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