Student-Developed Simulations: Enhancing Cultural Awareness and Understanding Social Determinants of Health

Abstract

National and global initiatives to address the social determinants of health (SDH) are on the rise. On a parallel trajectory, increased cultural awareness is emerging as an integral strategy to improve the understanding of these social contributions to disease states, health inequities, and health disparities. Undergraduate nursing students developed modalities and role-played simulations as a teaching and learning strategy. The simulations demonstrated how nurses assess patients' unique needs and offer support and resources regarding patients' socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental needs. The student-developed simulations were an interactive teaching and learning strategy that offered several benefits, such as improved interpersonal skills, learned specific nursing roles, and improved cultural awareness. Student-developed simulations are an innovative teaching strategy for improving cultural awareness and learning more about SDH. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(4):243-246.].