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The
Senior Mentor Project was actually housed in the required
course, Elements of the Nurse-Client Therapeutic Interaction.
By linking it in this way, faculty made it a course
requirement for all nursing students. Students learned
a great deal from their mentors' perspectives. This
interactive learning process with well elders will help
prepare these students to become nurse generalists with
geronotological essential competencies. From these student/mentor
dialogues, the following discussion themes emerged:
-
fears about illness and death, and need to not dwell
on illness.
- stories
about deaths of loved ones and their coping with such
profound loss.
- desire
to not be infantilized by the health care community
and society in general.
- need
to learn something new everyday, and to have incentives
to stay active.
- understanding
of the value of their friendships, as well as their
relationships with their children and grandchildren.
- importance
of keeping abreast of the American political climate
as it relates to their needs and concerns (i.e. Medicare,
managed care, prescription cost).
- recognition
of the essential role nurses play in their preventative
and restorative health care.
Course
Syllabus (pdf)
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