A Dedicated Learning Unit in Long-Term Care: A Clinical Immersion for Student Nurses

Clinical experience is considered essential to prepare nursing students for practice. Dedicated learning units (DLU; also known as a dedicated education unit) that partner clinical staff and academics have been a successful model to achieve this outcome in acute care settings. However, none has been attempted in the US in long-term care (LTC). The development of the DLU in LTC was undertaken to immerse students in an LTC clinical experience. It involved using RNs in the LTC facility as preceptors in collaboration with nursing faculty. The purpose is to increase transfer of learning through collaboration of faculty and clinical preceptors to facilitate the experiential learning of student nurses and identify a LTC clinical immersion as a positive student experience. The DLUs were well received by both the facilities and the students. Students’ journal entries were very positive. Anecdotal discussion with patients indicated increased satisfaction with the care and attention from the students and an improved quality of life. The model is effective for student learning in gerontological nursing and preparing for a career in this specialty.