Reflections on a Service-Learning Project: Nutrition Education for Elementary Students.

ABSTRACT: This article examines the concept of service-learning (SL) in nursing practice and education as an opportunity to promote service, not only to individuals but also to the community. Nursing students conducted a SL nutrition education project at an elementary school in Alabama, a state in which the frequency of obesity is among the highest in the nation. Results suggest that SL enhances the critical thinking and cultural sensitivity of nursing students while helping to solidify nursing skills and values.

Reciprocal Service-Learning Benefits Students, Educators, and the University.

Service-learning offers an opportunity to educate nursing students and foster important personal and professional characteristics. A different kind of service-learning project was developed and implemented in a nursing school. Community/public health nursing students and nurse educators taught cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and epilepsy training to faculty and staff members of another university department in a Good Samaritan Training project. The multiple benefits of the project to nursing students, educators, and the project recipients are discussed.

Life Skills Interventions to Improve Social Confidence, Self-Management, and Protection against Drug Use in Rural Elementary School Aged Children.

This pilot project evaluated the effectiveness of a life skills training program for elementary-school-aged children for development of social confidence, self-management, and general social and drug resistance skills. The setting was a rural community after-school program. Children participated in 30-min weekly sessions for 8 weeks. Pre- and posttest scores were analyzed to determine effectiveness of the program. Results showed improvements in antismoking and antidrinking attitudes and use of self-management and general social skills, and social confidence in conflict situations. The life skills training intervention serves as a potential supplement to community programs for the prevention of behaviors such as bullying, smoking and drug use among elementary school aged children.