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Nursing Student

COLUMBUS, Miss.—Mississippi University for Women nursing students recently took on the role of senior community members with help from Community Counseling Services.

 “I never realized how bad senses are distorted when someone suffers from Alzheimer’s and dementia. Having my sight, hearing and touch impaired, allowed me to grasp the way a person feels who deals with this disease on a daily basis,” said Skyla McIntyre, associate nursing student.

Community Counseling Services partnered with the College of Nursing and Health Sciences to provide the opportunity for 55 nursing students to literally step into the shoes of the geriatric population.

All students wore special glasses, shoes and headphones while attempting to do five simple task. The special gear provided students with tingling in the feet, loss of depth perception, hearing loss and time management struggles. For the morning, the students became the patient as they experienced the emotional and physical challenges of senior community members.

“Many times in our professional careers, as well as in life, it takes us experiencing something to really grasp a full understanding. Our goal for the nursing students is they gain a better and a hands-on understanding of what the seniors in our communities may be feeling, thinking and experiencing,” said Martha Allen, Community Counseling Services.

After the simulation, students were encouraged to reflect on the experience and discuss the importance of being patient, kind and compassionate to the geriatric population.

“Experiential learning is impactful and memorable. Empathy will help the students to always remember who they are serving and why. Empathy will help the students to work diligently, be patient with their senior patients and remain professional during the most difficult of times,” explained Allen.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 4, 2017 
Contact: Tyler Wheat
(662) 241-7863
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