While empathy is commonly accepted as a mutually beneficial aspect of the health provider-patient relationship, evidence exists that many health profession students are unable to demonstrate this important skill. This study, the initial phase of a 2-year longitudinal series, examined measurement properties of the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE) adapted for administration to health profession students (JSE-HPS version), and investigated group differences of empathy scores in the baccalaureate nursing (BSN) program within the College of Health Professions at a public university in the southeastern part of the USA. The 20-item survey and a demographic questionnaire were completed by 265 BSN students. Correlational analyses, t-test, and analysis of variance were used to examine internal relationships and group differences. Results showed the median item-total score correlation was statistically significant (0.42). The internal consistency of the scale (Cronbach's coefficient α) was 0.78, falling within the generally agreed standard. Test-retest reliability coefficients were acceptable at 0.58 (within 3 months interval) and 0.69 (within 6 months interval) between testing. Women scored higher than men and older students outscored younger classmates. No significant relationship was found between empathy scores and ethnicity, previous non-nursing degree, or importance of religion to the participant. These findings support measurement properties of the JSE-HPS version, and can bolster the confidence of researchers in using the Scale for measuring empathy in diverse health profession students, as one component of program evaluation as well as evaluating interprofessional learning activities among diverse healthcare professional students and interprofessional collaboration.

As one of the largest groups of health care providers in the United States, nurses are trained to attend to the physical, psychological, and spiritual needs of their patients, making them highly qualified to influence the outcomes of victims of an emergency situation. Unfortunately, nursing programs offer limited content on delivering care under extreme conditions, and few continuing education programs are available to practicing nurses. This article provides a brief educational presentation that can be used without an extensive time commitment or in-depth instructor knowledge of the subject. The course content has been presented to nurses at the American Red Cross, at local chapter meetings of professional nursing organizations, and to both graduate and undergraduate nursing students. This presentation is not designed to be a comprehensive study of disaster nursing, but serves as a starting point that might lead to further study and encourage active participation in preparedness education and planning.

Background Patient-centered care necessitates an appreciation of one's socioeconomic status and its influence on health and well-being. Purpose We explored how student attitudes toward poverty changed as a result of participation in an interprofessional service-learning experience. Methods Students from 6 health profession programs participated in an interprofessional military-sponsored free health care event serving nearly 8000 individuals from our community. Students' pre-post attitudes toward poverty were measured using the Attitude Toward Poverty Short Form (ATP-SF) and Beliefs About the Relationship Between Poverty and Health (BRPH) scale. Results Two subscales and 14 items on the ATP-SF and 3 items on the BRPH had significant differences between their pre and post experience. Students expressed less bias, a decrease in stereotypic views, and a heightened willingness to advocate on behalf of those with limited means of support. Conclusion Findings suggest that experiential, transformative service learning has a positive impact on students' attitudes toward poverty and the underserved.

BACKGROUND Teaching emerging health care professionals the importance of addressing social determinants of health is an important step toward equitable care. To this end, students need both an understanding of the narrative of those living with limited healthcare access and the opportunity to reflect upon how experiential learning impacts their views on health care services and professional development. PURPOSE The purpose of the study was to assess experiential self-reflections among health professions students after participating in an interprofessional, community-based program designed to provide much-needed health care to vulnerable populations. METHODS After participation, students provided reflections regarding their views on 1) individuals receiving care, 2) community needs and resources, and 3) their own interprofessional growth. A qualitative, iterative process was used to identify emergent themes. RESULTS Themes specific to both participants and community resources centered on poor access to care, dental and vision needs, and limited awareness of available resources. Those specific to students' interprofessional experience and professional growth include patient outcomes, understanding community characteristics, communication skills, and an appreciation of interprofessional, multi-level delivery of services. CONCLUSIONS Consideration of social determinants of care is an important conduit toward clarifying one's views of vulnerable populations and as a means of enhancing professional growth and development.