Home Care Experience
Community Health Nursing (CHN) courses in undergraduate nursing programs often provide students with valuable home care nursing experiences. This area of focus is relevant for the clinical learning of the pre-licensure nursing student as it provides an opportunity for students to explore the social dynamics of clients in their home-settings (Andrews et al., 2005). Students will consider individualized client needs, family structure, available resources, overall safety of the home environment, and ethical principles of providing care for clients in the community setting (Crossen-Sills et al., 2007). In this clinical area, students will be paired up with various home care nurse preceptors. These are experienced nurses who are willing to teach and mentor students- their role includes facilitating and evaluating students’ learning in the designated clinical setting using a one-on-one approach (Billings & Halstead, 2012). Faculty should maintain open communication with the practice site [home care], and should clearly define expectations for students’ clinical learning objectives (Niederhauser et al., 2012).
An innovative student-centered teaching/learning strategy appropriate for the home care clinical rotation is having students complete “A-Hah” Journals, in which students write journal entries about their observations during clinical [home care experience] and reflections about what they are learning (Herrman, 2008). Journaling is a great way for students to connect clinical and classroom knowledge in a reflective manner. Educators can use this strategy to get an inside look at the students’ learning experience (evaluating students’ clinical knowledge, skills, and attitudes), and they can write comments in the students’ journals-providing feedback on a regular basis. Another teaching/learning strategy appropriate for a home care clinical rotation involves holding a post-conference in the classroom, or establishing an online discussion group called “Let’s Be Real in Clinical” where the teacher asks targeted questions to help students to voice their concerns and discuss the realities of nursing and healthcare (Herrman, 2008). Educators can use this strategy to facilitate student discussion and reflection on certain topics, providing an assessment of the students’ overall learning experience (including clinical knowledge, skills, and attitudes). This strategy can be used periodically throughout the clinical rotation to foster team-spirit and collaboration between educators and students (Herrman, 2008).
With all of the changes in our current healthcare system, it is essential that nursing students are provided with many opportunities to utilize their knowledge, clinical skills, critical thinking, and clinical decision making as they interact with clients and families across various practice learning environments (Billings & Halstead, 2012). As clinical experiences may impact nursing students’ career preferences (Andrews et al., 2005), it is important for educators to find innovative ways in which to expose students to a variety of nursing roles within the hospital and community settings.
Jennifer Austin
(March 19, 2015)
An innovative student-centered teaching/learning strategy appropriate for the home care clinical rotation is having students complete “A-Hah” Journals, in which students write journal entries about their observations during clinical [home care experience] and reflections about what they are learning (Herrman, 2008). Journaling is a great way for students to connect clinical and classroom knowledge in a reflective manner. Educators can use this strategy to get an inside look at the students’ learning experience (evaluating students’ clinical knowledge, skills, and attitudes), and they can write comments in the students’ journals-providing feedback on a regular basis. Another teaching/learning strategy appropriate for a home care clinical rotation involves holding a post-conference in the classroom, or establishing an online discussion group called “Let’s Be Real in Clinical” where the teacher asks targeted questions to help students to voice their concerns and discuss the realities of nursing and healthcare (Herrman, 2008). Educators can use this strategy to facilitate student discussion and reflection on certain topics, providing an assessment of the students’ overall learning experience (including clinical knowledge, skills, and attitudes). This strategy can be used periodically throughout the clinical rotation to foster team-spirit and collaboration between educators and students (Herrman, 2008).
With all of the changes in our current healthcare system, it is essential that nursing students are provided with many opportunities to utilize their knowledge, clinical skills, critical thinking, and clinical decision making as they interact with clients and families across various practice learning environments (Billings & Halstead, 2012). As clinical experiences may impact nursing students’ career preferences (Andrews et al., 2005), it is important for educators to find innovative ways in which to expose students to a variety of nursing roles within the hospital and community settings.
Jennifer Austin
(March 19, 2015)