Promoting population health by integrating an interprofessional poverty simulation into the curriculum

Abstract

Background: Nursing programs have a unique opportunity to bolster students’ understanding of the concept of population health management through use of a poverty simulation. Addressing population health requires that nurses understand the broader issues impacting patient care. Aim: To determine if integrating an interprofessional poverty simulation is an effective tool to introduce the concept of population health management.

Methods: The Community Action Poverty Simulation© was implemented in a baccalaureate nursing curriculum as an interprofessional learning activity. The study was quasi-experimental using a quantitative pre-test and post-test design and qualitative essays.

Results: Data were collected from 277 college students, including 149 nursing majors.

Conclusions: The analyses support that a published poverty simulation is an effective resource to expose students to interprofessional collaboration and establish a professional precedent to promote population health management principles.