Research in Medical Education

  Introduction: Aged people population around the world is increasing, therefore, as service learning method can be effective and suitable for putting students services into practice in the society. The aim of this study is to reinforce knowledge and skill of study, establish communication, and teaching the elderlies by an emphasis on precaution and assessment of the service learning in nursing students.

  Methods: This is a descriptive evaluative study. This program was performed by system learning design pattern of ADDIE. In this regard, 14 volunteer students were selected to perform the process through the convenience sampling. They were assigned to a 16-hour internship course under supervision of an instructor in Lahijan elderly sanitarium. Reflective notes, focus group discussion, and observing the performance, photos, and films were also applied in this work.

  Results: Themes including “good experience”, “learning the importance of mental healthcare giving in the elderlies”, “life lesson”, “being familiarized with elderlies”, “improvement of altruistic and usefulness sense”, “importance of public participation”, and “systematic learning of the communication with elderlies” were extracted from focus group interviews and reflective notes. In this regard, observing the students’ performance indicated the overall score of 17 out of 20.

  Conclusion: As-service learning method exposes students to different experience occasions such as working with health social institutes and dealing with specific populations, e.g., elderlies, in the society and leads to deep understanding of the cultural and value differences and issues around the elderlies.