Student peer mentoring in a community-based nursing clinical experience

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Community Health
• Public Health Practice

Background:

• Healthcare delivery to underserved populations presents unique challenges.
• Innovative teaching strategies are needed to prepare nursing students for community-based practice.
• Student-led initiatives can address gaps in community nursing services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a student-to-student peer mentoring strategy for delivering health care.
• To assess the impact of this strategy on nursing students' education and skills.
• To determine the benefits for at-risk populations and community agencies.

Main Methods:

• A pilot project involving nursing students from three educational levels.
• Implementation of a peer mentoring teaching strategy in a community agency.
• Data collection through student journals, reflective comments, and pre- and posttest evaluations.

Main Results:

• Students collaborated to develop and implement impactful community health projects.
• The strategy successfully provided nursing presence in an underserved community agency.
• Educational objectives were met, with benefits for students, the agency, and the population.

Conclusions:

• Student-to-student peer mentoring is an effective teaching strategy for community health nursing.
• This approach enhances student learning and provides valuable services to vulnerable populations.
• The collaborative model fosters professional development and addresses community health needs.