Nursing Students’ Experiences in Promoting Older Adults’ Health by Integrating Cultural Arts in a Gerontological Nursing Practicum Course*

Abstract

Background: Older adults require continuous health promotion, particularly in Udon Thani Province in Northeastern Thailand, where local arts and cultural contexts differ from other regions. Nursing education should therefore integrate local arts and cultural practices into health promotion for older adults. This qualitative study aimed to describe the experiences of nursing students in promoting older adults’ health by integrating cultural arts into a gerontological nursing practicum course.

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using Heideggerian hermeneutic (interpretive) phenomenology to explore and describe students’ lived experiences. The participants were sixteen third-year nursing students selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, field notes, and tape recordings. Trustworthiness was ensured through data triangulation and member checking. Data were analyzed using a phenomenological thematic approach informed by van Manen.  

Results: Two main themes emerged: (1) organizing health promotion activities for older adults in a cultural context, in which students applied nursing knowledge to assess needs and design and implement culturally appropriate activities for older adults and the community; and (2) learning outcomes from cultural integration in nursing practice, reflecting students’ development of knowledge, skills, attitudes, teamwork, and professional nursing identity through authentic community engagement and experiential learning.

Conclusion: Integrating cultural arts into a gerontological nursing practicum enhances nursing students’ professional competence, particularly in delivering culturally congruent care. Such learning activities should be encouraged in other nursing courses to promote deep learning and sustainable professional development.