Research Problems: 1. Low-income, homebound elders are at risk for further losses in functional status. 2. Nursing students enter the PHN course with little experience in working with elders in their homes. Purposes: 1. Determine if student-delivered, home-based community health nursing interventions have an effect on functional assessment outcomes of elderly clients, 2. Measure student self-efficacy for providing home-based nursing care to elders. 3. Develop student peer-mentoring as a strategy for increasing self-efficacy for home visiting and working with elders. Study Populations: 1. 80 elderly, homebound, low-income, ethnically diverse clients enrolled in the Meals on Wheels Program. 2. Junior-first semester students (J1) enrolled in a Concepts of Aging class and senior-second semester (S2) Public Health Nursing students at The University of Texas School of Nursing. Study Design: The study was a longitudinal study. S2 students administered functional status instruments to both control and treatment groups. The treatment group received home visits with nursing interventions from the students for a period of four semesters. The control group received only the tool administration and referral to the Meals on Wheels social worker during the first and fourth semester. The peer-mentoring component consisted of J1 students accompanying a S2 students on a home visit to a treatment group participant. Data to be presented: 1. Relationships between nursing interventions and outcomes 2. Changes in the functional status of elders over four semesters 3.Student self-efficacy in home visiting elders and satisfaction with peer mentoring as a teaching strategy.
Learning Objectives: The participant will:1.Identify relationships between community health nursing interventions and functional status outcomes of elderly.2.Describe changes in the functional status outcomes of elders in the study population. 3.Identify changes in student self-efficacy in home visiting. elders.4.Identify student satisfaction with peer mentoring as a teaching strategy
Keywords: Nursing Education, Aging
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.