141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

290945
An innovative approach to nursing education: The global community as clinical agency

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 5:10 PM - 5:30 PM

Sarah Neal, MSN, RN, BSW , School of Nursing, Anderson University, Anderson, IN
Abigail Richardson , School of Nursing, Anderson University, Anderson, IN
BACKGROUND AND ISSUES Schools of Nursing are competing for a scarce resource: clinical agencies in which students can gain direct patient care clinical experience, caring for diverse patients across the lifespan. Additionally, schools must provide the opportunity for students to apply knowledge of cultural factors while demonstrating tolerance for the ambiguity of the world and advocating for social justice. International settings present an innovative option for nursing education. DESCRIPTION At this university, every senior nursing student participates in a REQUIRED 2 week trip abroad led by faculty who coordinate clinical experiences with missionaries and NGO's. Students complete nursing care, screenings, and health education in a variety of settings with scarce resources: remote villages, orphanages, and HIV/AIDs hospices. LESSONS LEARNED It is not uncommon for patients to walk for days to access healthcare at a clinic staffed by student nurses. Students benefit by gaining hands-on skills and an appreciation for diversity. They bring these lessons back home to the United States where they act locally, caring for clients from diverse backgrounds. RECOMMENDATIONS Group sizes are best when limited to 10-12 students. Group pricing on airfare and lodging keeps trips affordable, though schools may consider offering a combination of international and domestic trips, because anywhere students go, they can learn diversity.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related nursing

Learning Objectives:
Analyze the global community as classroom for nursing students learning about cultural competency. Evaluate the utility of international sites as the location of hands-on learning of nursing skills.

Keywords: Cultural Competency, Nursing Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have led numerous trips to various international locations for students learning cultural competency, the most recent of which was to Kampala, Uganda.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.