title: Relate better and judge less: poverty simulation promoting culturally competent care in community health nursing.
abstract: The study aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of a poverty simulation in increasing understanding of and attitudes toward poverty and resulting in changes in clinical practice among nursing seniors. A poverty simulation was conducted using a diverse group of nursing professors and staff from local community agencies assuming the role of community resource providers. Students were assigned roles as members of low-income families and were required to complete tasks during a simulated month. A debriefing was held after the simulation to explore students' experiences in a simulated poverty environment. Students' understanding of and attitude toward poverty pre- and post-simulation were examined. Changes in the students' clinical experiences following the simulation were summarized into identified categories and themes. The poverty simulation led to a greater empathy for the possible experiences of low income individuals and families, understanding of barriers to health care, change in attitudes towards poverty and to those living in poverty, and changes in the students' nursing practice. Use of poverty simulation is an effective means to teach nursing students about the experience of living in poverty. The simulation experience changed nursing students' clinical practice, with students providing community referrals and initiating inter-professional collaborations.
authors.affiliation: Lienhard School of Nursing, College of Health Professions, Pace University, 861 Bedford Road, L306, Pleasantville, NY 10570, USA. Electronic address: kyang@pace.edu.
authors.forename: Kyeongra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: UMPC/Jefferson Regional Home Health, 1020 Lebanon Rd, W. Mifflin, PA 15122, USA. Electronic address: ratliffwoomerv@upmc.edu.
authors.forename: Gail Ratliff
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Woomer
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Community Systems, School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, 415 Victoria Building, 3500 Victoria Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. Electronic address: kaa45@pitt.edu.
authors.forename: Kafuli
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Agbemenu
authors.affiliation: Southwest PA Area Health Education Center, 5614 Elgin St, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, USA. Electronic address: lwilliams@southwestahec.org.
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000193:education*; D065246:Culturally Competent Care; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing; D006801:Humans; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D016544:Patient Simulation; D011204:Poverty Areas; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D014481:United States
keywords: Community health nursing; Cultural competency; Poverty simulation