Yvonne Parry
Flinders University, Australia
Title: How to design community placement experiences: Comparisons of knowledge for future nursing and midwifery practice in community placement in Vietnam and Australia
Biography
Biography: Yvonne Parry
Abstract
The keynote presentation will report on two completed research projects which compare the levels of staff and student learning across two community based placements, one in the Vietnam highlands and one in a homelessness service in South Australia. Both community based placements provided health care to vulnerable and disadvantaged population groups. Community placements with vulnerable population groups provide nursing and midwifery students with the confidence needed to care for people with complex health and social issues in acute care settings. These placements enhanced the student’s clinical skills and linkages to psychosocial theories of human development. The Australian research project mixed methods research design allowed for in-depth interviews and correlational analysis to explore the levels of knowledge gained and application to future practice. The findings outline the impact of these community based placements on the student’s future clinical practice. The Vietnam community placement used in-depth, pre and post interviews, with the staff and students providing health clinic services in the rural Vietnam highlands. Both research project found that the use of community based placements provides important experiences and learning outcomes for students that enhance their future nursing and midwifery practice.