Empathy and Care in Student Outcomes of Service Learning for Nursing Education: Findings and Implications
John Martin, PhD(c), Founder & Principal, Forster Consulting
This paper presents findings/implications from doctoral research in a mixed methods, quasi-experimental study, near the intersection of nursing, moral development, and higher education research. Its purpose explored moral orientation and empathy occurring in Bachelor of Science in Nursing students, aspiring to be nursing professionals. The mixed methods design allowed a greater understanding and depth of analysis than would have been possible by using either a strictly quantitative or qualitative approach. Student participants were recruited from Nurses Christian Fellowship and the Oklahoma Nursing Student Association. The study produced a larger sample size than was needed for statistical significance, as determined through the use of G*Power analysis, for the number of measurements proposed. Two existing research scales were used: one that was developed to measure empathy in nursing and pharmacology students and one that measures college students’ moral orientation toward care and justice. A pre-test / post-test design was used for the quantitative study, and selected students participated in qualitative interviews about the experience of their first service learning assignment. Participation was robust, leading to analyzable data of strong statistical significance. The presence or absence of service learning was the study’s independent variable. Previous service learning experiences in courses beyond nursing, previous employment in a clinic setting, a predilection toward caring attitudes and behaviors, academic classification, gender, and age were confounding variables.
Three research questions explored aspects of the students’ experiences:
Q1. To what extent does a service learning experience enhance nursing students’ demonstrated empathy?
Q2. To what extent does service learning contribute to the moral orientation of students who are preparing for careers as nurses?
Q3. What meaning do nursing students attach to the service learning experience with regard to viewing themselves as empathetic caregivers?
Two theories, drawn from nursing and moral development, provided theoretical foundations. The study sought to substantiate the rationale and efficacy for using service learning in the education of nurses, while exploring ways the experience shapes attitudes and opinions. A problem in nursing education has been that service learning is utilized by nurse educators without a full understanding of its effect upon students. As the service learning pedagogy becomes understood more fully with additional research, it is important to explore the difference it makes for nursing students and how the experience shapes students to become professionals who are caring as well as competent.
This study, conducted in the Summer and Fall of 2016, added to the body of knowledge on the efficacy of service learning in nursing. The study is of potential interest to nurse educators, higher education researchers, and to researchers of moral development. Long ago, nursing education embraced experiential learning via clinical rotations as a key part of a nurse’s education. Not so well known is what difference service learning truly makes for nursing students as they prepare for their careers. This study’s findings analyzed changes in empathy and care in nursing students following a service learning experience and noted implications for future practice and research in nursing education and in service learning research.
This paper presents findings/implications from doctoral research in a mixed methods, quasi-experimental study, near the intersection of nursing, moral development, and higher education research. Its purpose explored moral orientation and empathy occurring in Bachelor of Science in Nursing students, aspiring to be nursing professionals. The mixed methods design allowed a greater understanding and depth of analysis than would have been possible by using either a strictly quantitative or qualitative approach. Student participants were recruited from Nurses Christian Fellowship and the Oklahoma Nursing Student Association. The study produced a larger sample size than was needed for statistical significance, as determined through the use of G*Power analysis, for the number of measurements proposed. Two existing research scales were used: one that was developed to measure empathy in nursing and pharmacology students and one that measures college students’ moral orientation toward care and justice. A pre-test / post-test design was used for the quantitative study, and selected students participated in qualitative interviews about the experience of their first service learning assignment. Participation was robust, leading to analyzable data of strong statistical significance. The presence or absence of service learning was the study’s independent variable. Previous service learning experiences in courses beyond nursing, previous employment in a clinic setting, a predilection toward caring attitudes and behaviors, academic classification, gender, and age were confounding variables.
Three research questions explored aspects of the students’ experiences:
Q1. To what extent does a service learning experience enhance nursing students’ demonstrated empathy?
Q2. To what extent does service learning contribute to the moral orientation of students who are preparing for careers as nurses?
Q3. What meaning do nursing students attach to the service learning experience with regard to viewing themselves as empathetic caregivers?
Two theories, drawn from nursing and moral development, provided theoretical foundations. The study sought to substantiate the rationale and efficacy for using service learning in the education of nurses, while exploring ways the experience shapes attitudes and opinions. A problem in nursing education has been that service learning is utilized by nurse educators without a full understanding of its effect upon students. As the service learning pedagogy becomes understood more fully with additional research, it is important to explore the difference it makes for nursing students and how the experience shapes students to become professionals who are caring as well as competent.
This study, conducted in the Summer and Fall of 2016, added to the body of knowledge on the efficacy of service learning in nursing. The study is of potential interest to nurse educators, higher education researchers, and to researchers of moral development. Long ago, nursing education embraced experiential learning via clinical rotations as a key part of a nurse’s education. Not so well known is what difference service learning truly makes for nursing students as they prepare for their careers. This study’s findings analyzed changes in empathy and care in nursing students following a service learning experience and noted implications for future practice and research in nursing education and in service learning research.