Reciprocal Service-Learning Benefits Students, Educators, and the University

Abstract

Service-learning offers an opportunity to educate nursing students and foster important personal and professional characteristics. A different kind of service-learning project was developed and implemented in a nursing school. Community/public health nursing students and nurse educators taught cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and epilepsy training to faculty and staff members of another university department in a Good Samaritan Training project. The multiple benefits of the project to nursing students, educators, and the project recipients are discussed.

Living an Educational Mission to Meet the Needs of Community and Public Health: Community Engagement in Pharmacy Education

“…Students in professional programs are often required to complete service learning hours, and University faculty are highly encouraged to find volunteer roles that help them serve the community. Participation in community health interventions allows students an invaluable opportunity to learn more about the social determinants of health; in hearing stories about how a single circumstance or event can dramatically change the life of a family, they are forced to rethink any preconceived notions they had about issues that include poverty, homelessness, and substance abuse (Forehand, Vardaman, & Outlaw, 2016; Lewis et al, 2011; Sevin, Hale, Brown, & McAuley, 2016). Students who work at a community outreach event at the University of Minnesota often become practicing pharmacists who volunteer their time at such events, reporting that they see the value in this service (Bastianelli, 2016).…”

Reflections on a Service-Learning Project

“…Service-learning differs from other clinical experiences in that students increase their comprehension of course material with hands-on participation while gaining a sense of Christian and civic responsibility (Saylor et al, 2018). Service-learning also assists in the development of critical thinking skills; these skills are fundamental to the ability to connect nursing theory with the real world (Forehand et al, 2016; Voss et al, 2015). Cultural understanding also improves with SL.…”