Online Program

335891
Group Discussion to Guide Critical Reflective Inquiry to Explore the Impact of an International Service Learning Program on Public Health Nursing Students


Monday, November 2, 2015

Diane C. Martins, PhD, RN, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
Alicia Curtin, PhD, GNP-BC, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
Donna Schwartz-Barcott, PhD, RN, College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
Background:  The value of international service learning (ISL) programs in exposing students to diverse cultures and ways of living is well recognized in nursing.  What is lacking is a sufficient body of knowledge regarding the effectiveness of these programs in enhancing public health nursing students’ personal and professional practice.  Reflection is an essential strategy to understand the impact of students’ experiences. Critical reflective inquiry (CRI) is one model to assist students in reflecting on a significant aspect of their experience. CRI consists of three phases:  descriptive, reflective and critical/emancipatory. 

 Description:  Public health nursing students participated in a three credit ISL program in the Dominican Republic in the winter term 2015, which included pre- and post-experience seminars and a two week, on-site immersion experience in the Dominican Republic.  Students submitted daily journals and a CRI three months post-trip to understand the potential usefulness of the tools in assisting students in the reflection.

 Lessons Learned: The findings from the analysis of the students’ daily journals and CRIs demonstrated that the CRI is a useful model to guide student reflection on a particular clinical experience.  Most of the students described aspects of all three phases of the model; however the descriptions of the critical/emancipatory phase were limited. 

 Implications/Recommendations:  Reflection is about developing new insights through critical thinking about clinical encounters and their meaning.  Incorporating group processing sessions facilitated by faculty as well as a students’ daily reflection by blogging on site may assist students in the process of self-critique and practice change.

Learning Areas:

Public health or related nursing

Learning Objectives:
Describe the use of group discussion sessions to guide critical reflection in global service learning. Assess the students' daily reflections through blogging. Compare group discussion sessions during international service learning in the host country to post service group discussion sessions.

Keyword(s): Nursing Education, Evaluation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: • Dr. Martins’ teaching and research is with vulnerable populations in the community. Her research includes studies on homelessness, hunger, and public health nursing health experiences. She has authored articles on public health nursing student international service learning experiences and critical interactionism. She has recently published work on Global Health Nursing. In the community, Dr. Martins works collaboratively with the state's nurse residency program and has developed policy changes in the state’s food stamp program.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.