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Tuesday, 1 November 2011: 10:20 AM
Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to identify five modalities used to promote reminiscence in a variety of clinical situations.
Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to identify a minimum of five areas where reminiscence can be utilized both for health promotion and illness management.
Nursing students are faced with a curriculum which continues to increase the information and skills required for practicing in a variety of settings with diverse populations having complex health problems. In a baccalaureate program, where 66% of the student body was culturally/ethnically diverse beginning clinical students (junior year) verbalized difficulty in initiating a professional relationship with some patients and their families. It was also difficult for them to identify interventions reflecting holistic care. Faculty identified this was related to the medical diagnosis, age, and cognitive abilities of their patients as well as the uncertainty of the beginning clinical student. A one credit elective course “Reminiscence: A Therapeutic Modality” was created as a pilot project for junior level students. The purpose of this course was to introduce students to the theories and techniques related to reminiscence and to understand their use as a therapeutic modality/intervention across the lifespan both in health promotion and illness management. In using an innovative teaching approach the course reflected both the “science” and “art” of nursing and used an experiential learning approach to accomplishing course objectives. In addition to covering specific content each student created their own reminiscence project. Providing students with new information, insight and “tools” could foster the professional connection they sought with their patients and assist in their professional role development with an appreciation for the value of creative strategies in individual holistic nursing care. The results of the course were such that it became a regular annual offering. This presentation shares the development, content, implementation and evaluation of the course. Specific modalities to promote the process of thinking and expressing past experiences utilizing all the senses will be presented and their clinical implications. Specific student work, their responses during the course experience and evaluation of the teaching method will also be shared.