Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine nursing students’ (n = 18) perceptions of interrelating with older adults to understand how such interactions might improve students’ levels of cultural competence and enhance their future nursing practice. Additionally, the study sought to contribute to a higher level of technological competency in older adults.
Design/methodology/approach
A basic qualitative study design (Merriam and Tisdell, 2016) was used to direct the data collection and analysis to achieve the aims of this study.
Findings
Four themes emerged from the data collected based on cultural knowledge, cultural skills, cultural desire and engaging in cross-cultural interactions. Students reflected on how their experiences would help them to interact with older adults in their future nursing practices.
Research limitations/implications
The limitation of the research is that the exploratory study cannot be generalized for a wider demographic. Also, the students’ prior experiences working with older adults were not considered and their reflections may not have accurately portrayed their true biases.
Practical implications
Reflection is a valuable practice to help students think through their experiences and is considered a key component of service-learning. In this study, students reflected on how their experiences would help them to interact with older adults in their future nursing practices.
Social implications
Nursing students who are later used take with them empathy, more sensitivity and positive attitudes toward older people to benefit the nurse-patient relationship with this population.
Originality/value
This is one of a handful of studies located that pairs nursing students with older people in teaching technology skills through iPad technology.
Description
This is an Author-Accepted Manuscript from the journal Working with Older People, published by Emerald Publishing. This version of the article is under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial 4.0 (CC BY-NC) license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. DOI for published article: https://doi.org/10.1108/WWOP-10-2020-0053
Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Date of publication
12-2020
Language
english
Persistent identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/3133
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Gipson, Christine S.; Delello, Julie A.; and McWhorter, Rochell, "Engaging nursing students and older adults through service-learning" (2020). Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations. Paper 15.
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/3133
Publisher Citation
Gipson, C.S., Delello, J.A. and McWhorter, R.R. (2020), "Engaging nursing students and older adults through service-learning", Working with Older People, Vol. 25 No. 1, pp. 84-93. https://doi.org/10.1108/WWOP-10-2020-0053