Collaborative community health nursing clinical in an AIDS Community Service Organization

Background/Issues: Finding undergraduate clinical sites to reinforce community/ public health nursing is challenging, complicated by having fewer community health faculty, higher student enrollments, and shrinking public health and other community resources. Grounded in the Community as Partner model, our school of nursing has partnered with community sites to provide student clinical experiences that meet course learning objectives (based on public health competencies) and support hosting agencies' missions. Description: Since 2001, we have worked with a three-county community service agency (CSA) providing prevention services and serving HIV-infected clients. Based on community assessment, students deliver client services and “products” (e.g., health education materials and teaching, assistance with a food bank and other activities). Lessons learned: Through in-depth hands-on experience, students have learned about HIV prevention, living with HIV, stigma, vulnerable populations' health needs, advocacy, community resources, and CSA contributions to community health. Clients have been generally receptive to interactions with students, sometimes even taking on “teaching” roles. Faculty, CSA staff, and students have voiced satisfaction with collaboratively meeting client needs and students' learning needs. New opportunities for scholarship have emerged. In addition, this partnership has required considerable exercise of flexibility, sensitivity, mutual respect, autonomy, and commitment to meeting partnership goals even during times of adversity or disaster. Recommendations: Partnering with a CSA has enriched the experience and enhanced benefits for all in the partnership.