Nursing Students and Faculty Gain Insight into Homelessness at Overnight Sleep-out Simulation
On October 25, three Brunswick Community College nursing students and two faculty members participated in a transformative Sleep-out and Poverty Simulation event, organized by Brunswick Partnership for Housing at Cape Fear Jetport in Southport, NC. This overnight experience aimed to raise awareness about homelessness in Brunswick County by immersing participants in the realities many face daily.
Each participant was given a new identity reflecting varied
circumstances of those experiencing homelessness in the community. One of these participants, Nduwimana Maherhero, a student in BCC’s Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, took on the role of a 16-year-old pregnant teenager responsible for her 10-year-old brother. Reflecting on the experience, Maherhero shared, “It’s easy to make assumptions about people’s situations from the outside. But taking on this role really opened my eyes to how alone it can feel.
It’s an experience that’s going to make me a better nurse because now I understand how these situations can happen and how hard it can be to turn things around.” “I felt the frustration of navigating a system that’s supposed to help but isn’t always accessible,” Rebecca Walters, a BCC instructor, portrayed a 21-year-old single mother with a 1-year-old child. She struggled to access the resources her character desperately needed. “I felt the frustration of navigating a system that’s supposed to help but isn’t always accessible,” Walters explained. Other BCC participants included students Janna Plummer and Nick Campana, as well as instructor Tammy Parrella, who joined in the overnight simulation, sleeping in makeshift shelters with only donated bagged lunches for food. This powerful simulation revealed the complexities surrounding homelessness and poverty, reinforcing Brunswick Community College’s commitment to fostering empathy and understanding among students and faculty. By stepping into the shoes of those in need for just one night, BCC’s participants walked away with a deeper sense of empathy, a commitment to removing biases, and a renewed determination to advocate for their community’s most vulnerable members.
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Brunswick Community College
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