Encourage the development of community by joining your students together to create nursing top 10 lists. When students arrive in class, divide them into groups of two or three. Provide each group with a large sheet of paper and markers. Tell each group to create a top 10 list related to the nursing profession. Allow the groups freedom in determining the specific topic for their top 10 list. One group might write a list on "Top 10 Ways to Make a Patient Smile," while another group might write a list on "Top 10 Ways to Be Productive." Allow each group to present its finished top 10 list, then hang the cooperative projects on the classroom wall for all to see.
Allow your pre-service nurses to try out their nursing skills with peers through the creation of situational role plays. To prepare for this activity, write descriptions of situations your nursing students may encounter on index cards. For example, "An angry patient comes in and wants immediate care for his paper cut." Or "A small boy appears to have a sprained ankle and is frightened". Call students to the front of the room, two at a time, and allow the duo to draw a card. Instruct them to decide between themselves which one of them will act as the patient and which as the nurse, then allow them to act out the situation on the card. After they finish their role play, allow the other classmates to make comments or suggestions. Use each role play as a learning opportunity, allowing your pre-service nurses to benefit from their experience both participating in and viewing the role plays.
Dealing with death and dying is unfortunately a real part of a nurse's job. Allow your nursing students to join together to explore the best ways to deal with this sad reality through the creation of death and dying brochures. Divide students into groups of three or four. Provide the groups with access to print material related to dealing with death and dying. Instruct the groups to gather information from the print material and use the information to create a brochure that discusses how to effectively deal with situations involving death.