Learning Objective #1: Describe how the elements of holism, spirituality, and nursing presence encourage self discovery through clinical experiences with a vulnerable population of the poor and homeless

Learning Objective #2: Describe the impact of guided seminars, assigned readings, reflective writing exercises, and applied clinical practice to developing students’ understanding of poverty, spirituality, and nursing presence

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In today's computer driven health care environment, nurses are challenged to engage in meaningful interactions that accommodate expression of spirituality and nursing presence. These concepts are especially difficult for nursing students to comprehend and to discern. If quality professional nursing practice is to evolve, spirituality and presence must be specifically addressed and understood by students. Nursing educators have a responsibility to provide learning experiences that will assist students in practice of these concepts and facilitate their nursing journeys from ‘novice to expert'.

To address these challenges of holistic practice, faculty at a Mid-Atlantic university provide a clinical rotation for senior baccalaureate students at a community-based crisis center for the poor and homeless. Experiences in direct care for the needs of this clientele, from a holistic perspective, are enhanced by seminars, readings, and writing assignments. These all drive the students to explore and further develop an understanding of themselves, the concept of spirituality, and nursing presence in light of their clinical practice with this diverse, vulnerable population.

By the completion of the experience, students have applied holistic nursing care in light of their new appreciation of the unique gift of self, an understanding of the place of spirituality in nursing care, and a sense of the ministry of healing presence. They are better able to integrate their learning experiences into a comprehensive notion of who they are as nurses.