Student Nurses “Caring” for Special Needs Children
Presentation
Overview
Overview
Description
Presented by the Pediatric Team at UNCW
Student Nurses “Caring” for Special Needs Children
Program Evaluation Research with Outcome Analysis of the Experience of Pediatric Nursing Students Working with Special Needs Children
Brenda PavillPhD, RN, FNPRoberta Allred MS, RN, LCCE, FACCE Patty White MSN, RNC
Abstract
A. Background/Rationale:
There is a current lack of research/literaturethat addresses the experiences of baccalaureate pediatric nursing students caring for special needs children (SNC) and whether or not student and faculty anticipated pre-experience outcomes are actually met once students participate in the care of SNC.
B. Purpose:
The objective of this evaluative qualitative research was to determine if student and faculty perceived outcomes of caring for SNC were met. This study was an extension of the evaluation process to determine if facultypreconceived outcomes of the experience were met, and how the activity might be modified to best meet the learning needs of students.
C. Methods:
Outcome analysis was applied to investigate the extent to which the goals of the experience met the original intent. Participants were baccalaureate nursing students (n=94) enrolled in a pediatrics course at a southern university. Students participated in one of four experiential opportunitiesat a weekend camp (Camp Special Time) that provided respite care to military families at a southern military base. Four open-endedquestions and basic demographics, addressing prior experience in working with SNC andperceived expectations in working with SNC were answered by each participant. Once the students participated in the experience, they also completed four post-experience questions within one hour of the activity that addressed their actual experience.
D. Results:
Three different researchers reviewed all participant responses of pre and post questions looking for common themes/threads. Based on the data, 95% of the students felt that their original perceived outcomes were achieved. Additionally, this reflected faculty expectations of theexperience were met.
E. Conclusions:
Students identified the experience of caring for SNC as a positive one, in which they were able to meet preconceived outcomes. The anticipated outcomes faculty had set to facilitate student learning were consequently met. Feedback of the experience related by students can be utilized to make modifications and improvements in future programs.
F. Implications for Practice:
Other faculties may consider including a similar experience in their curricula to implement these goals in order to facilitate student learning in clinical experiences. More research needs to be completed to further evaluate student learning and faculty intended outcomes for such clinical experiences.
