Public Service Announcements: An Innovative Strategy for Introducing Competencies in Population Health

Background: Teaching health concepts using a variety of strategies has been shown to enhance students' critical thinking skills and learning outcomes. Educational strategies highlighting the effects of social determinants of health (SDOH) on communities and populations are considered essential nursing curricula by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Method: A public service announcement (PSA) assignment was developed and implemented for a community nursing course with approximately 100 students. Results: The PSA assignment was a multifaceted project that incorporated knowledge development (e.g., public health topics, group dynamics, and SDOH factors) as well as skill development (e.g., navigating web-based databases, creating an annotative bibliography, designing developmentally and culturally appropriate educational messages, and conducting self-evaluation and peer-evaluation). Conclusion: This assignment allowed faculty to assess 28 subcompetencies of student learning and provided students with the opportunity to explore a population health issue that considered cultural, developmental, and social determinants of health needs.