Combining community health and psychosocial nursing: a clinical experience with the homeless for generic baccalaureate students.

A report is made of a teaching approach which combined community health and psychosocial nursing clinical experiences for senior level, generic, baccalaureate nursing students over a period of two academic quarters. An urban community center and shelter for the homeless was the setting for this unique clinical approach. Areas on which the evaluation of the clinical experience focused included the clinical design, student activities, types of clients seen, and student and faculty views. Strengths and limitations of the experience were identified. The progression of the student group in adapting to the homeless population was described in detail. Faculty concluded that by sharing their clinical expertise in this combination clinical setting with the homeless, generic students were able to maximize and coordinate their academic and clinical activities. The homeless setting is demonstrated to be an excellent arena for student learning when faculty provide structure, support, and guidance.