BACKGROUND: Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is rapidly gaining respect within the health care community as a means to promote public health and address health disparities. It has also recently been named as one of the competencies needed by public health professionals to be effective. METHOD: This article describes an educational innovation where CBPR is integrated into a baccalaureate nursing curriculum as a strategy to create meaningful learning experiences for nursing students while benefitting the health of the community. RESULTS: The impact of this approach was analyzed over a period of 12 years. The positive outcomes for the community, students, and faculty are described, along with the unique challenges. CONCLUSION: Integrating CBPR into a nursing curriculum is an innovation that is worthy of further assessment. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.
BACKGROUND: Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is rapidly gaining respect within the health care community as a means to promote public health and address health disparities. It has also recently been named as one of the competencies needed by public health professionals to be effective. METHOD: This article describes an educational innovation where CBPR is integrated into a baccalaureate nursing curriculum as a strategy to create meaningful learning experiences for nursing students while benefitting the health of the community. RESULTS: The impact of this approach was analyzed over a period of 12 years. The positive outcomes for the community, students, and faculty are described, along with the unique challenges. CONCLUSION: Integrating CBPR into a nursing curriculum is an innovation that is worthy of further assessment. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.