Public health nursing education experience in Nicaragua

Selected international nursing education experiences can provide excellent opportunities for nursing students to practice public health nursing. These experiences offer learning in a cultural system different than the U.S., enhance students' global perspective on political influences on health systems, and increase cultural competency. Students from the Georgetown University Nursing program spent part of their winter intercession in Nicaragua working with a vulnerable population in an impoverished community in Managua. Each student was assigned a family to assess and prioritize nursing interventions. In addition, students conducted health teaching sessions to large groups in the community and in the public health clinics. A community assessment provided an experience in learning about the resources and demographics of the community. At the local public health clinic, students had clinical experiences in prenatal, family planning, well child, oral rehydration and tuberculosis care. The program was feasible through the collaboration with the local university nursing program in Nicaragua.