Nursing Students Gain Firsthand Sensitivity to Age-Related Impairment

On Wednesday, Karen L. Martin, associate professor of medical-surgical nursing, engaged students in the Fundamentals of Nursing course in a hands-on activity intended to help them relate to patients and the changes that occur with the aging process. Students taped their fingers, placed cotton in their ears and wore glasses intended to mimic glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration. The students were then asked to fill out health history forms, look up a phone number, retrieve pills from medicine bottles and count change. The activity is meant to help students gain competency in the areas of communication, critical thinking and cultural sensitivity. The students expressed appreciation for the activity.
Photos courtesy of the Nursing Program