A Service-Learning Project Based on a Community-Oriented Intelligent Health Promotion System for Postgraduate Nursing Students: Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Sun Ting , Xu Xuejie , Zhu Ningning , Zhang Jing , Ma Zuchang , Xie Hui 
Published: November 2023

Background

Service learning (SL) is a pedagogical approach that combines community service with cognitive learning for professionals. Its efficacy in promoting community health has gained broad recognition in nursing education. The application of postgraduate nursing SL programs in community-based intelligent health remains underexplored. Thus, additional investigation is necessary to assess the influence of the SL project based on a community-oriented intelligent health promotion system (SLP-COIHPS) on postgraduate nursing students and health service recipients.

Objective

This study aims to assess how SLP-COIHPS influences the scientific awareness and research innovation abilities of postgraduate nursing students. In addition, the study sought to examine the experiences of both participating students and health service recipients.

Methods

We conducted a mixed methods investigation by using web-based surveys and conducting interviews. The web-based surveys aimed to explore the differences in scientific awareness and research innovation capabilities between 2 distinct groups: an experimental group of 23 postgraduate nursing students actively participated in SLP-COIHPS, while 23 postgraduate students (matched one-to-one with the experimental group in terms of grade, sex, and research methods) served as control participants. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 65% (15/23) of postgraduate students and 3% (12/405) of community residents who received health services, aiming to assess the project’s impact on them. The community-based intelligent health promotion system installed in intelligent health cabins can be conceptualized as an expert system providing valuable references for student health education. It has the capability to generate comprehensive assessments and personalized health guidance plans. Following training, students were involved in offering health assessments, health education, and related services. Subsequently, after the web-based surveys and semistructured interviews, quantitative data were analyzed using the SPSS (IBM Corp) software package, using 2-tailed t tests and Mann-Whitney U tests; qualitative data underwent analysis using the constructivist grounded theory approach.

Results

Postgraduate nursing students participating in this program scored 12.83 (Cohen d>0.8; P<.001) and 10.56 (Cohen d>0.8; P=.004) points higher than postgraduate students in the control group in research awareness and research innovation capability, respectively. On the basis of the qualitative results, postgraduate students reported improvement in this program. Analysis of the interviews revealed a total of 12 subcategories across three primary domains: (1) specialized skills, (2) scientific research ability, and (3) comprehensive qualities. Community residents reported high satisfaction and positive experiences. Analysis of the interviews with community residents identified two primary categories: (1) satisfaction and (2) perceived benefits.

Conclusions

SLP-COIHPS had a positive impact on students’ development of scientific awareness and research innovation ability. Qualitative study findings also support the further development of practical programs that integrate intelligent health and SL theories in the field of medical education. This includes exploring the potential factors influencing postgraduate nursing students’ research capabilities or investigating the long-term effects of the project.