Students' community health service delivery: experiences of involved parties

Abstract

For several years the School of Nursing Science and the School of Psychosocial Behavioural Science, of a specific university, have been offering health care services in response to some of the health needs of a disadvantaged community as part of their students' experiential learning. However, these health care services were rendered independently by these two schools, implying that no feedback system existed to evaluate the worth and quality of these student-rendered health care services. The objectives of this research were to explore and describe the experiences of senior nursing and social work students, the experiences of health service delivery organisations concerned and the experiences of the disadvantaged community members receiving such health care services, as well as to investigate which communication models were apparent with regard to the major factors within health communication. An exploratory descriptive qualitative research design was used. Focus group discussions were held, interviews were conducted and field notes taken. Focus group discussions and interviews were transcribed and analysed by the research team to determine themes and sub-themes using the open coding technique. The results of the three groups showed similarities. The health service delivery organisations also identified a communication barrier, although the students were prepared to bridge it. The health service delivery organisations and the community felt positive towards the students and what they offered to the organisations and to the patients. A greater need for multi-disciplinary team work was recognised by al parties concerned. Recommendations focus on improved student accompaniment by lecturers; extending health care delivery to include a multi-disciplinary team approach by students; as well as improving the delivery of health care services.