A Comparative study of Professional Practice Skills and Creative Citizen Characteristics from Social Service Learning Activities of Nursing Students

Abstract

This descriptive study aimed to compare the professional practice skills and creative citizen characteristics obtained from the social service-learning activities of nursing students. Seventy-eight fourth year nursing students from Boromarajonani College of Nursing, Surin who were participating in the primary medical practice course participated in this study. Data were collected using personal information forms, the Professional Practice Skills Questionnaire, and Creative Citizen Characteristics Questionnaire, for which Cronbach’s coefficients were .95 and .98; respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Multiple Analysis of Co-Variance

            Findings were as follows. On average, the nursing students participated in social service learning activities 7.68 ± 3.09 times (Range 1-18) each, with the most common activity being vaccination clinics, followed by health education activities. The mean score on the Professional Practice Skills assessment was at a high level (M= 4.36, SD =.52). The mean score on the Creative Citizen Characteristics was also at a high level (M= 4.43, SD =.49). After controlling for grade point average as a co-variable, there was a statistically significant difference in the professional practice skills and creative citizen characteristics among the nursing students who had different levels of participation (p<.05, p,< .05, respectively). The result revealed that that social service-learning activities may enhance nursing students’ professional practice skills and creative citizen characteristics. Therefore, service learning should be used as one of the learning strategy, especially in the practicum courses, with clearly defined minimum requirements for the number or learning experiences.