141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

292124
Preparing nurse leaders for global health practice

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 5:30 PM - 5:50 PM

Karen Solheim, RN, PhD , School of Nursing, The University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
Linda C. Baumann, PhD, ANP- BC, FAAN , School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
Mary Russell, BS, MAE , School of Nursing, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI
The purpose of this presentation is to describe an approach to prepare nurses for leadership in global health. Interconnections that affect population health in both global and local settings are increasingly recognized. Examples include environmental issues, poverty, communicable and non-communicable diseases, and human migration. Global experiences are critical to prepare nurses to recognize and respond to global health trends. The approach described here offers options to graduate and undergraduate nursing students to gain knowledge and experience through a 9 credit graduate or a 15 credit undergraduate global health certificate program, or through a global community health nursing course. All options incorporate preparatory coursework, a field experience, and self-reflection and evaluation. Global field experiences, lasting from one to six weeks, build upon core competencies and are inter-disciplinary. Since 2005 over 120 nursing students have participated in field experiences in many world regions. Field sites are established by identifying a community agency, organization, or academic institution partner to assure that student experiences complement a local health agenda. Academic quality, resources, safety, and staffing are assured before a site is established. Evaluation of this approach includes analysis of survey and program evaluation data to summarize strengths and limitations of this approach, and the impact of global experiences on students' future professional practice. This approach to global health nursing education, involving graduate and undergraduate students, linking with other academic disciplines, engaging students from preparation through reflection, and in partnership with active global partners is a viable approach to prepare nurses for global health leadership.

Learning Areas:
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Describe one approach to prepare nurse leaders for global health practice Explain the components of the overall approach List criteria for establishing global health education partners and sites Evaluate the strengths and limitations of this approach Describe how global health educational experiences influenced former students' professional practice

Keywords: Global Education, Nursing Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to be an abstract author on the content I am responsible for because I have been a leader in School of Nursing Global Health activity and a liaison to campus global health programs since 2007. I co-lead an inter-disciplinary global public health courses to Thailand. I have been involved in Global Health Projects in several countries. I have led School of Nursing initiatives to expand global health experiences for students.
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.