A service-oriented teaching and learning project.

Profound changes in the health care system have heightened nursing educators' awareness about preparing students for the role of health educator to patients and families. To address this concern, senior students in a child and family course developed a teaching and learning (TL) project oriented toward children's and families' distinctive learning needs. With the clinical instructor's guidance, the students sought to create a unique learning activity while still meeting the course's TL objectives. Students gathered information on an array of health topics and determined that a "mini-health fair" for children, families, and professionals using attractive and informative posters and presentations was an effective strategy for disseminating the information. Participants listened to the students' presentations and viewed posters. Pediatric patients enjoyed the interactive learning, families appreciated the take-home informational handouts, and clinicians applauded the professionalism of the student's work. The TL project that was designed to develop students' skills as educators developed into a countywide experience. Students participated in the community's annual health fair and presented to the nursing school's governing board as an exemplar of practice-based teaching. Students were successful when given encouragement and support to create and present TL projects.