Community Health Course Research Articles

Lecture Based Versus peer Assisted Learning: Quasi-Experimental Study to Compare Knowledge Gain of Forth Year Medical Students in Community Health and Nutrition Course

Background: The present study was designed to compare the knowledge gain of students in lectures and peer assisted learning (PAL) via end of course test scores. The purpose of this comparison was to assess the ability of PAL in enhancing academic achievement and to consider its addition within the traditional medical syllabus. Methods: A randomized control trial (RCT) was conducted at Department of Community Medicine, Lahore Medical and Dental College in 2014. Convenience sampling was used and out of 125 fourth year MBBS students, those who agreed to take part in the study (N = 99),were randomly allocated to PAL (n = 49) and lecture (n = 50) groups. Community Health& Nutrition was the course chosen for the study. Both lecture and the PAL sessions were conducted simultaneously and the duration and content covered in each session were the same for both groups. Knowledge gained was assessed through a pre- and post-test. Chi-square test, independent t test, paired t test and analysis of co variance (ANCOVA) were used for data analysis. Results: The study participants demonstrated a significant difference in the pre-test and post-tests cores in both the study groups (P ≤ 0.001). However, no statistically significant difference was found in the post-test scores between the Lecture and PAL groups, F (1, 95) = 0.584, P = 0.447.Gender and high school qualifications had no bearing on test scores in both learning groups. Conclusion: The present study concludes that in terms of academic achievements, PAL was equally effective to lectures. Therefore, PAL can be incorporated as a supplement to lectures in medical school curricula.

Collective work and team dynamics in an innovative multi-cohort community health course for pharmacy students in Montreal

This article was migrated. The article was not marked as recommended. This article aims at describing and analysing the way in which pharmacy students work together in the context of an innovative course on community health. The article uses content analysis of two focus groups held in 2015 with 14 students from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the Université de Montréal. The course included the problematisation, design and completion of an intervention project, and offered an interesting lens to explore team-based learning and project-based learning. More specifically, this article allows us to describe and understand the ways students collaborate together: collective work, task distribution, applied work strategies and their justifications. This study also allowed to discuss factors both limiting and promoting the development of skills to work in a team, the specific added value of a community health course for developing skills associated with teamwork for future health professionals. Finally, the pharmacist's community role as health professional seems to be revealed and even reinforced by completing such a course. Indeed, this course allows for the learning of fundamental values of professionalism for students, such as leadership, equality and responsibility.

Barriers to Teaching Social Determinants of Health: Nursing Study-Abroad Programs in a Digital Age.

The social determinants of health are the conditions in which humans are born, grow up, live, work, and age (World Health Organization [WHO], 2012). In nursing programs, this content is typically taught in community health courses. Another strategy for teaching students how to understand the social determinants of health is study-abroad courses. Budding nurses can learn how to assess conditions that influence the health of a community. Conducting this assessment in a culture that differs from the student's own can help highlight what factors impact one's own health. For the past eight years, the author has been teaching the social and cultural determinants of health to nursing students by taking them on 3-week cultural immersion/community health studyabroad programs. Destinations have included Ghana, Austria, the Netherlands, and Thailand. This article presents observations on how the teaching of social determinants of health has changed during the period 2008-2016.

The impact of educational experiences on nursing students' knowledge and attitudes toward people with Alzheimer's disease: A mixed method study

BackgroundAs the population ages, the effects of Alzheimer's disease will be felt by all nurses. Providing proper care for people with Alzheimer's disease is difficult and requires specific skills, attitudes, and knowledge. Limited data exists regarding nursing students' attitudes and knowledge toward people with Alzheimer's disease, whether undergraduate education prepares students to care for this population, or the best methods to support students in learning in an innovative and interactive environment. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to determine the effect of different educational experiences on nursing students' knowledge and attitudes toward people with Alzheimer's disease and to explore nursing students' knowledge and attitudes surrounding the care of people with Alzheimer's disease. DesignA convergent mixed method design. A three group (Alzheimer's disease clinical experience, online learning module, and no dementia-specific intervention), pretest and posttest design served as the quantitative arm of the study. A focus group discussion with themes extracted served as the qualitative piece of the study. SettingCollege of Nursing in North Texas. ParticipantsConvenience sample of 94 senior level nursing students enrolled in the undergraduate nursing program's Community Health course. MethodStudents completed pre and posttest surveys which included Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale, Dementia Attitudes Scale, and demographic questionnaire. Content analysis was conducted on focus group responses to qualitative interview questions. ResultsThe Alzheimer's disease clinical group experienced increased knowledge and improved attitudes toward people with Alzheimer's disease compared with students who completed the online module or had no dementia-specific intervention. Four themes emerged from focus group data: Basic Alzheimer's disease knowledge, need for Alzheimer's disease experiential learning, negative feelings related to behaviors, and appropriate responses to behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. ConclusionExperiential learning in the form of clinical placements increased knowledge and improved attitudes about Alzheimer's disease compared with an online module and no dementia-specific intervention.

Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating a Latino Service Learning Project in an Accelerated MPH Community Health Course for Health Education Students

Service learning is a 21st-century pedagogy that can address critical health needs found in our communities, and it can provide opportunities for health education students to grow personally and professionally. Universities are increasingly offering service learning as a method to foster collaboration between campuses and partners, to meet community needs, and to prepare students to be engaged citizens capable of working in diverse communities. Health education preparation programs are recognizing the value of this beyond the classroom approach to learning and the opportunities it presents for students to develop professionalism. This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of a Latino Service Learning Project (SLP) in an accelerated, MPH community health course for health education students. As part of a SLP during a graduate community health course, students planned and implemented a health education project for a Latino community. Students partnered with a Latino health agency for a nationally sponsored health promotion event. Lessons learned and the benefits of service learning are presented. Students’ reflection papers were analyzed and served as the primary evaluation method to determine the effects of the SLP on them. Students reported that the SLP provided benefits to include improvements in cultural competence, growth in health education professional development skills, and personal growth such as an enhanced sense of civic responsibility. Understanding how to integrate service learning into a community health education course may help faculty adopt this teaching method.

Practicing Inter-Professional Teamwork among Nursing and Medical Students

Learning how to work effectively on inter-professional teams has been identified as an outcome competency in nursing education as specified by the Quality and Safety Education in Nursing Teamwork and Collaboration Competency [1] and in medical education as specified in the Liaison Committee on Medical Education [2]. How to teach teamwork skills, and where to place this content in the curriculum, is an ongoing problem for both medicine and nursing. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and evaluation of a community work-place learning activity that evolved from a nursing student experience to an interprofessional experience. Background: Nursing students from a large midwestern research university had been participating in a health screening research project of school children supported by the Elisabeth Severance Prentiss Foundation of their community health courses. Learning objectives for each course were broad with very little differentiation between levels. Using concept-based curriculum principles, and content from the Team STEPPS in 2006 national program, the courses were restructured and an interprofessional teamwork experience for nursing and medical students was implemented. All students participated in an extensive orientation that required each one to pass skills tests for taking an accurate blood pressure and performing accurate height and weight measurements. Nursing students were educated at two different levels: junior nursing students lead the activity while sophomore students focused on health screenings data collection and assessment. Previous to the restructuring, the team leader role was assumed by faculty. With role clarification, faculty shifted their function to the role of a team coach. Medical students were trained much like sophomore nursing students with the role of carrying out clinical tasks. Following each interprofessional teamwork experience, students completed the Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies Attainment Survey (ICCAS). IRB determined this to be exempt from review. Results: An Independent sample t-test was used to compare mean score differences. Mean score differences on the ICCAS between inter-professional collaborative competencies before and after the experience for 122 participants showed a significant improvement between Total pre-mean score (M=116.5, SD=19.1) and Total post mean score (M=127.6, SD=15.2); t=8.5, p<0.001. Additionally, all ICCAS subcategories (Communication, Collaboration, Roles and Responsibilities, Collaborative Patient/Family Centered Approach, Conflict Management, Team Functioning) showed a significant difference between pre and post mean score differences. Conclusion: The public health screening project funded by the Prentis grant was effective in learning interprofessional collaborative competencies while meeting nursing and medical student course learning objectives. Faculty creatively working together can overcome the obstacles to inter-professional education to promote learning teamwork and collaboration.

A Brief Learning Experience Designed to Increase Nursing Students’Knowledge of and Attitudes Toward LGBT Health Care

This study examined the effect of a brief learning experience on nursing students’ knowledge of and attitudes toward providing care to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) individuals. The Nursing Students’ Knowledge of and Attitudes toward LGBT Healthcare (NKALH) survey was administered to a convenience sample of 41 senior nursing students enrolled in a community health course. At pretest, there were significant knowledge deficits (20% of the questions were answered correctly) and low attitude scores toward LGBT healthcare needs existed. At posttest, students’ knowledge scores increased to 84%; attitude scores increased slightly, but not significantly (p = 0.07). Among the students who participated in the study, none felt they would be unable to care for an LGBT individual.

Reading, Writing, and Research for Undergraduates: Introducing Scholarly Inquiry by Writing a Grant Proposal

George Mason University is committed to developing students as scholars. This course project strives to introduce scholarly inquiry to undergraduates with a real-world, hands-on assignment. Working through an actual RFP, students practice a wide variety of skills related to research and scholarship. This project can be taught in English composition courses, community health courses, nursing courses, and health promotion courses.The American College Health Foundation makes annual awards of $2500 for proposals that foster healthy behaviors on college campuses. The proposals must follow specific guidelines and incorporate objectives from the Healthy Campus 2020 Program. Over approximately six weeks, students use the actual award proposal guidelines to: Identify the most important factors framing the proposal guidelinesIdentify a student objective from the Healthy Campus 2020 Program Research the health issue related to the Healthy Campus 2020 Student Objective Write an individual literature review about the student health objective Write a tentative proposal that addresses the student health objective Present individual proposals to the class Select some of the proposals for further development Work in groups to submit a full proposal that follows the award guidelines Work in groups to evaluate the proposals using the actual award guidelines Select some of the proposals for funding and provide written evaluations of the proposals

Making High-Fidelity Simulation Relevant to the Home Setting

The integration of high-fidelity simulation can prepare nurses to respond to realistic patient situations and be ready for their roles as professional nurses. A learning framework such as Understanding by Design can be used to develop simulations that are cohesive with course and program outcomes. The authors discuss their use of this framework to develop a simulation in a community health course.

Using Problem Solving for Better Health Nursing in a Clinical Nurse Leader Program

This article describes the application of the problem solving for better health nursing (PSBHN) model to the community health course in the clinical nurse leader (CNL) program at the University of Virginia. The CNL program is an advanced generalist master's education for second-degree students. The incorporation of the model into the CNL community health course, examples of domestic and international student projects, lessons learned, and future plans for continued and expanded use of the PSBHN model are discussed.

Nursing students’ cultural immersion in Kenya: A case for a clinical capstone site

Awareness of cultural concepts is an important component of nursing education and cultural immersion experiences are invaluable in fostering understanding of them. These types of experiences take students out of their comfort zone and challenge them both personally and professionally. For several years, students on all levels have been participating in a 10-day trip to Kenya led by nursing faculty. Undergraduate students who go on the trip receive clinical credit for their community health course and are required to journal daily about their experiences while on the trip and write a reflection paper for the course when they return. The content of these papers was analyzed for common themes to determine what students learned from the trip and to see if it was worthwhile to allow students to do their clinical capstone experience in Kenya, that would be part of the schools new curriculum. Four main themes emerged from the student reflection papers. They were: “Making a difference”, “Not knowing what to expect”, “Feeling like a real nurse” and “Renewing my Identity”. The Kenya experience has fostered student growth in various ways and our school of nursing will continue to support this learning experience by encouraging senior students to complete their clinical capstones in Kenya.

International service and public health learning objectives for medical students

We aimed to improve the education of medical students involved in a longitudinal perinatal health improvement project in Gowa, Malawi. We conducted qualitative interviews with students who participated in the project, reviewed their quantitative reports, and assessed the application of methodologies consonant with the learning objectives of a novel community health improvement course within their experience. The Gowa Health Promotions Project, designed to improve perinatal care for women and their families within the Gowa Health Clinic, used community participatory research strategies. Medical students partnered with clinic workers and the local residents, evaluated, and revised an existing perinatal educational program. Qualitative and quantitative health and program data were collected, and program revisions were implemented. The value of the student experiences as a public health educational tool was evaluated by the authors. Project sustainability was enhanced by a fellowship and planning for sequential students. The community health course structure and goals enhanced learning in the project. Engagement of investigators as early as possible in an international public health enhancement project improves student learning and ongoing commitment. Service learning objectives aimed at providing valuable medical learning to student learners immersed in other cultures are consistent with evidence-based learning objectives in the field of public health. Proactively structuring this experience to explicate these goals can enhance student learning. This dual strategy may improve the sustainability of international health programs by educating medical students while leading them into careers where these skills will be leveraged.

The Impact of Service-Learning on Health Education Students' Cultural Competence

Background: Development of cultural competence in future health educators is often mentioned as a goal of health education preparation programs; however research demonstrating evidence-based methods for development of cultural competence is limited. Purpose: To determine the impact of a service-learning project on development of cultural competence and health education skills among health education students. Methods: All students in the community health courses completed the Cultural Competence Assessment (CCA) survey at the beginning of the courses; then, 17 students participated in a three-week service-learning project with members of a low-income community. Students repeated the CCA at the end of the course and CCA scores were compared to measure the impact of the service-learning project; additionally, students completed weekly reflective narratives regarding their experiences. Results: Analysis of data indicated that students participating in the service-learning project scored significantly higher on the cultural competence behavior post-test than those that did not; there was a strong association between service-learning participation and cultural competence behavior; and students had increased perceived self-efficacy and cultural competence. Discussion: Service-learning activities can improve health education students' cultural competence. Translation to Health Education Practice: Students completing health education preparation programs having developed cultural competence are better prepared to design and implement culturally appropriate interventions.

Home Visit Simulation Using a Standardized Patient

BackgroundThe use of standardized patients (SPs) in home health applications in nursing education is relatively new. This study analyzes student perceptions of a home visit simulation experience as part of community health clinical rotations. MethodThis descriptive study explores the effectiveness of student satisfaction, self-confidence, and the effectiveness of student learning in a home visit simulation with an SP. Study participants included 76 undergraduate nursing students from a Southeastern university enrolled in a senior-level community health nursing course. ResultsThe findings of the quantitative and qualitative data indicated that students were highly satisfied with their simulated home visit experience and generally felt confident in their ability in learning during the simulation. ConclusionsUse of the SP during the home visit simulation was well received by students as a valuable learning experience and could be expanded for use in community health and other clinical courses.

Thinking Beyond “The Wheelchair to the Car”: RN-to-BSN Student Understanding of Community and Public Health Nursing

The purpose of this study was to explore the online discussions of postlicensure nursing students taking a community health course in an RN-to-BSN program. Final discussion forums asked students to share their perceptions and understandings of the public and community health nurses' role and practice after participating in a community health clinical course. Inductive content analysis was used to assess the narratives. Analysis of the discussions yielded two categories: (1) awareness by the RNs of their individual community and the context of the public and community health nursing role, and (2) increased understanding of the patients' experience with transitions between health care settings (home-hospital-home). This research suggests a need to assess practicing RNs' professional understanding and teaching of the public and community health nurses' role if they are to facilitate effective patient transitions home and into community-based settings.

Using Service-Learning to Teach Community Health: The Morehouse School of Medicine Community Health Course

Medical education is evolving to include more community-based training opportunities. Most frequently, third- and fourth-year medical students have access to these opportunities. However, introducing community-based learning to medical students earlier in their training may provide a more formative experience that guides their perspectives as they enter clinical clerkships. Few known courses of this type exist for first-year medical students. Since 1998, the Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) has required first-year students to take a yearlong Community Health Course (CHC) that entails conducting a community health needs assessment and developing, implementing, and evaluating a community health promotion intervention. In teams, students conduct health needs assessments in the fall, and in the spring they develop interventions in response to the problems they identified through the needs assessments. At the end of each semester, students present their findings, outcomes, and policy recommendations at a session attended by other students, course faculty, and community stakeholders.The authors describe the course and offer data from the course's past 11 years. Data include the types of collaborating community sites, the community health issues addressed, and the interventions implemented and evaluated. The MSM CHC has provided students with an opportunity to obtain hands-on experience in collaborating with diverse communities to address community health. Students gain insight into how health promotion interventions and community partnerships can improve health disparities. The MSM CHC is a model that other medical schools across the country can use to train students.

Developing Cultural Sensitivity Through Study Abroad

Study abroad experiences, as a strategy to develop cultural sensitivity, are increasingly popular in nursing education. At a college where resources for developing study abroad were limited, establishing a partnership with an organization experienced in sending medical teams abroad was a means by which a successful study abroad was integrated into a community health nursing course. This collaborative relationship provided the course faculty the opportunity to focus on development of the cultural learning, while the partnering organization coordinated trip logistics. Through the study abroad, the student goals were identified to be developing cultural sensitivity through immersion in two different cultural groups within the country. Additionally, the student’s goals were to be able to meet the community health course clinical objectives. Students’ written reflections included descriptions of how the trip was “life changing” and altered their view of the health care system, their understanding of the relationship between health and poverty, and their awareness of their own cultural behavior norms that reflect materialism and waste.

Using the Virtual Education Platform of Second Life to Enhance a Community Health Course in an Accelerated Online Bachelors Degree to BSN

Using the Virtual Education Platform of Second Life to Enhance a Community Health Course in an Accelerated Online Bachelors Degree to BSN

Bioterrorism and the college campus: Student perceptions of emergency preparedness

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the current perceptions of college students in regard to the emergency management of bioterrorism.Design: University students enrolled in Community Health courses were recruited to participate in a paper or online survey to determine their perceptions regarding likelihood of a bioterrorist attack, preparedness of the university, and preparedness of the students.Participants: Of the 309 students recruited, 265 (85.9 percent) participated in the survey.Interventions: Data from the surveys were entered into an SPSS dataset for analysis.Main outcome measure: Perceived preparedness of the university for a bioterrorism emergency.Results: Students perceived that there was a low likelihood of a bioterrorist attack at the university. Only 17.6 percent of the students felt that the university was prepared for a large-scale emergency and only 24.1 percent felt that the students were prepared. One third of the students did not know that the university had policies in place for a bioterrorist attack and 88.3 percent did not know where to go for information in the event of a bioterrorist attack. Only 9.2 percent had visited the campus emergency planning Web site.Conclusions: Effort must be made by universities to determine the appropriate amount of education to the students regarding emergency preparedness based on the cost-benefit to the university and the student body. Suggestions from students included a mandatory workshop for incoming freshman, involvement of campus emergency planning with student organizations, and increased marketing of the campus emergency Web site.

Community Health Clinical Education in Canada: Part 1 - "State of the Art"

This paper presents the findings of a survey of community health clinical education in twenty-four Canadian pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing programs. A qualitative research design was used, involving a content analysis of Canadian course syllabi and supporting documents for community health courses. This study afforded a cross-sectional understanding of the "state of the art" of community health clinical education in Canadian schools of nursing. Clinical course conceptual approaches, course objectives, types of clinical sites, format and number of clinical hours, and methods of student evaluation are identified. The findings suggest the need for a national dialogue or consensus building exercise regarding curriculum content for community health nursing. Informing this dialogue are several strengths including the current focus on community health (as opposed to community-based) nursing education, and a solid socio-environmental perspective informing clinical learning and practice. The national data set generated by this study may have relevance to nursing programs globally.