In Our Own Words: Baccalaureate Nursing Students Describe Academic Service Learning Experiences

Introduction: Service learning integrates community service, didactic and student self-reflection while at the same time striving to identify and meet needs of the community partnership agencies involved. Project Descriptions. In this manuscript, two baccalaureate nursing students describe their service learning experiences while embedded in an integrated primary care community partner site for two years. In project one, students designed and conducted an educational group for mental health clients in a rural day treatment program. In project two, the student revised a diabetic clinic educational form to reduce client burden. Project management and outcomes: Projects were designed in collaboration with community partners and faculty. Project one resulted in increased knowledge of coping mechanisms in a majority of group participants. Three months after implementation of the revised form designed in project two, a majority of diabetic clients served in the clinic had A1c reductions. Discussion: Lessons learned by students during the experiences include communication skills such as developing rapport with specific client groups, steps of change management, professional team interactions and increased civic engagement. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first manuscript wherein baccalaureate nursing students add their voice to the literature describing the benefits of academic service learning. Our next step is an online follow up 9 months post-graduation, to examine whether benefits and skills are maintained.