Knowing Self and Caring Through Service Learning

Abstract

Professional caring is the essence of nursing practice. Reflection on personal assumptions and beliefs challenge stereotypic views that influence professional caring and nursing care. An innovative educational pedagogy known as service learning creates an opportunity for students to reflect on self in the context of service to others; it is through this pedagogy that personal assumptions and beliefs are challenged as students become registered nurses. A qualitative descriptive study engaged undergraduate first and second year nursing students through interviews and reflections. The purposes of this study were to describe students' perception of self and caring in service learning, any changes in the perceptions of self over time, and the connection of self to others. Results identified three major themes: understanding self, becoming a nurse and learning to care with increasing depth over the two years. Implications for nursing curriculum and further research are discussed.

Impact of a service learning experience on the intercultural sensitivity of nursing students

“…For this study, it is defined as a pedagogical approach that is experiential in nature, which intentionally supports the achievement of institution and program goals through structured reciprocal learning activities. [4,5] Those activities provide students the opportunity to experience civic engagement and cultural diversity. With the incorporation of reflection, students are allowed the opportunity of a guided exploration of self-awareness and preconceptions that they may have had prior to the completion of SL activities.…”

“…With the incorporation of reflection, students are allowed the opportunity of a guided exploration of self-awareness and preconceptions that they may have had prior to the completion of SL activities. [4,5] …”

“…[9][10][11] One qualitative study found that the students perceived the experience as challenging their understanding of self, and contributing to their becoming a nurse, and learning to care. [5] The SL experiences in the above mentioned studies took place as part of a specific course. One mixed methods study described SL that impacted cultural self-efficacy, confidence, and awareness that was a non-course based experience.…”

Development and implementation of a national service learning experience with baccalaureate nursing students: Supporting development of cultural awareness

“…For this pilot program it was defined as a pedagogical approach that is experiential in nature, which intentionally supports the achievement of institution and program goals through structured reciprocal learning activities. [3,4] Those activities provide students the opportunity to experience civic engagement and cultural awareness. With the incorporation of reflection, students are allowed the opportunity of a guided exploration of self-awareness and preconceptions that they may have had prior to the completion of service learning activities.…”

Defining Service Learning in Nursing Education: An Integrative Review

“…Three articles were from Taiwan (Hwang, Wang, & Lin, 2013;Hwang, Wang, Tu, Chen, & Chang, 2014;Yeh, Rong, Chen, Chang, & Chung, 2009), three from South Africa (du Plessis, Koen, & Bester, 2013;Julie et al, 2005;Mthembu & Mtshali, 2013); and one each from Canada (Schofield et al, 2013) and Ethiopia (Downes, Murray, & Brownsberger, 2007). In terms of the populations sampled in the included studies, the majority were undergraduate nursing students, although there were two studies involving postgraduate nursing students.…”