Community Collaboration: Clinical Experiences at a Pediatric Medical Day Care.

Abstract

Background: Faculty charged with ensuring appropriate clinical experiences for prelicensure students face numerous challenges, including limited access to specialty acute care sites, particularly maternal-child, ambulatory and community settings to prepare students to care for clients outside of the hospital.

Method: An innovative collaboration with a pediatric medical day care provided prelicensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing students exposure to nursing roles in caring for medically fragile children outside of the acute care environment.

Results: Providing care for children with special needs allowed students to make connections between theory and practice, explore developmental concepts, and practice specific nursing skills. Student reflection logs and feedback from the facility staff were enthusiastic and positive about the collaboration.

Conclusion: Clinical rotations in a pediatric medical day care provided opportunities for students to care for children with medical fragilities and gain new perspectives on nursing roles in the community. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(7):420-422.].