Using an Experiential Learning Assignment to Teach BSW Students about Culture and End-of-Life Care Planning

ABSTRACT

In response to needs identified by the Institute of Medicine and the National Association of Social Workers, this article describes an experiential assignment to increase BSW students’ skills in end-of-life care. In this assignment, students discussed end-of-life wishes with another, completed an advance directive, and processed their experience. Students made gains in three areas: awareness of others’ perspectives, recognition of culture’s influence on end-of-life decisions, and the role of information in empowering patients and families. Students also made gains in the affective skill of empathy.

KEYWORDS:

• BSW
• advance directives
• experiential learning

Acknowledgments

The author acknowledges the work of an anonymous undergraduate research assistant for their work on this project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University of Maryland Baltimore County Undergraduate Research Assistantship Support Program.