1. Reducing Health Disparities through Community Engagement
Community Engagement Scenarios
Questions to Consider:
1. Who are the stakeholders and what do you think each person involved in the scenario is thinking or
feeling?
2. What values or beliefs might support their perspectives on the situation?
3. What actions would you recommend for resolving different perspectives?
4. What actions will most effectively support student learning?
Scenario #1
A group of students has arranged a presentation on a health topic at a time that works for the
community organization. One of the students has a conflict with a nursing class at the same time and
asks for permission to miss the class. The instructor for the class states attending class is expected and
that the student should not miss the class.
Scenario #2
Three students are teaching on asthma to a group of children at a day care center that has a diverse
population. The students have prepared a few simple PowerPoint slides to show the children pictures to
help them understand what asthma is and what to do if someone is having trouble breathing. The
students ask the day care director for feedback on the slides. The director notes that the pictures on the
slide to not reflect the diversity of the children at the day care center.
Scenario #3
At a community engagement clinic site, the contact person has discussed and modeled behavior of
initial interactions with clients. Students have had opportunity to observe diverse people modelling
interactions. The clinic contact person encourages students to practice this while shadowing clients.
Instead students avoid this practice and sit talking to each other and don't engage clients.
Scenario #4
An organization has a transitional housing site with supportive services for families in transition.
Supportive services include crisis intervention, social workers, and economic development. Both nursing
faculty and students question the value of being a site where nursing is not represented.
Scenario #5
A student complains about being at an organization that provides services to a specific ethnic group.
She/he explains that they do not plan on working with that ethnic group in the future.
Scenario #6
One of the students in a group of four confides that she/he feels they are taking most of the
responsibility for planning community engagement activities and that the other students in the group
are not taking ownership or accountability.
Scenario #7
When reflecting on students’ learning experiences in community engagement, faculty members noted
that students do not always see results from their contributions, which then leads to the students
feeling discouraged and that their efforts are not worthwhile.