Expanding Clinical Models of Nurse Practitioner Education: Service Learning as a Curricular Strategy

A context-relevant curriculum is responsive to educational and societal demands. Nurse practitioner (NP) faculty members are challenged to prepare practitioners to provide high-quality compassionate care to diverse populations. Changes in the health care environment, a limited number of clinical sites and preceptors, and competition for access to clinical sites necessitate creative solutions and curriculum development. Service learning, as a curricular strategy, facilitated NP students to achieve academic course goals, appreciate the NP role working with underserved populations, and translate classroom knowledge to the clinical environment.