Teaching about vulnerable populations: nursing students' experience in a homeless center

Cultural competence is not limited to ethnicity, religion, or race but is inclusive of vulnerable groups, such as the homeless. The complex health and social issues related to homelessness requires educational instruction that supports students' ability to address and care for the multidimensional elements that surround this group. Exposure to homeless populations provides nursing students with increased awareness of the issues related to health disparities, while promoting introspective reflection on one's values and beliefs. To increase student exposure to working with homeless clients, a service-learning project using a critical social theory (CST) lens was offered at a homeless center. The students' response that clients were "just like" them, coupled with ambiguity regarding the complex social-economic-political issues surrounding the homeless, may indicate a need for further education regarding cultural understanding, sensitivity, and vulnerability. This project demonstrates the need for learning experiences that support advocacy and social responsibility for vulnerable groups.