Participatory clinical education. Reconceptualizing the clinical learning environment.

Area of Science:

• Geriatric education
• Nursing home care integration

Background:

• The need for specialized geriatric training in associate degree nursing programs.
• Bridging the gap between academic education and practical nursing home care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the incorporation of nursing home care and geriatrics into an associate degree nursing curriculum.
• To identify learning needs and knowledge sharing opportunities between educators and practitioners.

Main Methods:

• Curriculum development and integration of geriatric content.
• Collaborative workshops and feedback sessions involving educators and practitioners.

Main Results:

• Successful integration of nursing home care and geriatric principles into the educational program.
• Identification of mutual learning opportunities and shared expertise between academic and practice settings.

Conclusions:

• The initiative effectively enhanced the educational program by including essential geriatric and nursing home care components.
• Fostering collaboration between educators and practitioners is crucial for advancing geriatric nursing education.