Student-Led Geriatric Nursing Conference- Evidence in Practice

Student–Led Geriatric Nursing Conference: Evidence in Practice

Student-Led Geriatric Nursing Conference: Evidence in Practice

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Overview of Teaching Strategy

This teaching strategy provides students with the opportunity to develop research-based sessions that address key clinical issues related to care of older adults in hospital and rehabilitation settings. Students work in groups over a six- week timeframe to develop a 40-minute concurrent session podium presentation based on: 1) an ethical dilemma that occurred during their clinical experience that may have compromised the safe and effective care of older adults; or 2) a clinical protocol or event that occurred on the clinical unit that has impacted the care of older adults. The groups are asked to find evidence to support their selection of the ethical issue or protocol and discuss implications for safety and improved care. The conference has one keynote presentation, usually provided by a local nursing expert discussing research that lays the foundation for best practices in care of older adults. Successful implementation of the conference provides students with a beginning understanding about how to use leadership skills in improving care. This teaching strategy is based on a student-led, all-day conference that evolved over time at Community College of Philadelphia, and has become a much anticipated event in the Community College of Philadelphia Department of Nursing.

Learning Objectives
Students will:

Work as a group to plan and implement a concurrent session at a conference that describes ethical or clinical issues that impact the quality of care for older adults.
Collaborate with peers to design a presentation that is based on review of evidence that underlies clinical nursing practice in order to challenge the status quo and offer new insights to improve the quality of care for older adults.
Explore significant clinical issues that have implications for providing individualized, competent care to older adults.
Use available evidence as a foundation to propose creative, innovative solutions to clinical practice problems and to advocate for improved care for older adults in hospital and rehabilitation settings.

Essential Knowledge Domains