Our school’s core value of social responsibility
generated a commitment to service-learning. Servicelearning
activities provide structure to the students’
experiences and potentiate their learning. It offers students
the opportunity to apply relevant knowledge and
skills in a real-life setting. This “. . . is widely recognized
as contributing to learning that is deeper, longer lasting,
and more portable to new situations and circumstances”
(Ehrlich, 2005; http://www.carnegiefoundation.
org/perspectives/service-learning-undergraduate-education-
where-it-going). Prior to the initial experience of
offering foot care and intentional comfort touch, students
are sometimes hesitant, unsure, and unable to
see foot care as a valuable part of their nursing role.
Providing anticipatory guidance with the students
diminishes some of this distress. Students are given
oral and written instructions related to the care.