The Evaluation of Service-Learning as an Innovative Strategy to Enhance BSN Students' Transcultural Self-Efficacy

Adams, Theresa M.

Thursday, 25 July 2013: 8:50 AM

Theresa M. Adams, PhD, RN, MSN, BSN
Department of Nursing, Alvernia University, Reading, PA

Learning Objective 1: Describe two variables that impacted BSN students' transcultural self-efficacy prior to their service-learning experience.

Learning Objective 2: Identify how service-learning assisted BSN students to address health disparities in a diverse population.to

Purpose: This quasi-experiemental study evaluated service-learning as an innovative strategy to change generic baccalaureate nursing students's perceived self-efficacy in providing culturally competent nursing care.

Methods: One intervention group (n = 42) completed a service-learning experience and the other (n = 69) completed an interview with a client from another culture. Demographic information was obtained and the Transcultural Self-Efficacy Tool was administered to all study participants pre and post the intervention.

Results: Repeated measures MANOVA results revealed an intervention elicited a statistically significant increase (p < .001) in self-efficacy strength (SEST) scores for the affective, cognitive, and practical subscales and for composite SEST scores. MANOVA results revealed pre-test SEST scores were significantly different depending on the participants’ language (p = .001) and race (p < .001). Follow-up univariate ANOVAs (with Bonferroni correction) indicated that all three pre-test SEST scores were significantly different depending on race: Affective: F (1, 109) = 11.75, p = .001, ɳ²= .097; Cognitive: F (1, 109) = 6.34, p = .013, ɳ²=. 055; and, Practical: F (1, 109) = 19.27, p = .000, ɳ²= .150. Univariate ANOVAs of the composite pre-test scores revealed a significant difference for language, F (1, 109) = 15.67, p < .001, partial ɳ² = .126 and for race, F (1, 109) = 19.73, p < .001, partial ɳ² = .145. A repeated measures MANOVA revealed there was no significant difference in improvement of SEST scores in any subscale, based on the type of intervention. Repeated measures MANOVA results revealed a significant interactive effect between intervention and race (p < .05).

Conclusion: Results of this study provide evidence that transcultural self-efficacy is dynamic and changes after a cultural educational experience; however, due to the relatively small sample size, service-learning was not found to be more effective than an interview at this time.

See more of: Global Health Nursing Research Initiatives
See more of: Research Sessions: Oral Paper & Posters