Enhancing Global Health Competencies of Nurses through Educational Policy

Background

Educational policy documents such as the BSN Essentials and the Quad Council’s PHN Competencies fleetingly mention global health though they acknowledge the need for today’s nurses to be prepared for practice with diverse healthcare systems pressured with changing needs from globalization. Simultaneously, efforts to internationalize U.S. campuses often omit nursing students due to their intensive programs and ethical challenges in designing mutually-beneficial international health partnerships. Nursing education and practice policymakers are poised to address these issues in a comprehensive, purposeful way with the potential to positively influence the effectiveness of our nursing workforce.

 Description

Educational policies are needed that address how we prepare future nurses to practice in intense global situations, including domestic practice with increasingly diverse populations.  Details of SUCON’s innovative efforts to enhance the global health content available to nursing students at all levels and via various educational methods will be shared and linked to policy implications.

 Lessons Learned

SUCON’s efforts are supported with development of internal policies.  Models of campus internationalization and policies from other disciplines are employed to expand opportunities, address ethical issues, and guide students through international engagement. However, more nursing-wide guidelines are needed to diffuse innovations and assure all nurses are prepared to address global health issues.

 Implications/Recommendations

Recognizing the nature of globalization and the desire of nurses to participate in strengthening health systems worldwide, nursing educational policymakers can improve global health competencies via enhanced educational and practice policies. PHN policymakers are especially poised to incorporate global health best practices into their competency guidelines.