![[ Visit Client Website ]](images/banner.gif)
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Learning Objective 1: describe the major themes emerging from American and Honduran nursing students’ discussion of their collaborative experience.
Learning Objective 2: discuss the effectiveness of the American/Honduran model for nursing study abroad in preparing nurses to work in a diverse and changing world.
Cultural encounters through study abroad programs, is an approach to preparing nursing students to work effectively with America’s increasingly multicultural population in today’s global healthcare environment. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of nursing students from a southeastern American university and a Honduran university during a nursing study abroad program in that country. Students from both universities participated in a community health project in two Honduran communities. Data were collected via one-time audio-recorded semi structured interviews with Honduran and American students. Data were analyzed separately for each group using the modified van Kaam method. Five major themes emerged as common elements throughout the American students’ description of their experience: a) learning about the Honduran Culture, b) working with Honduran students and faculty, c) the language barrier d) the transformative effects of the experience and, d) essential elements for future study abroad programs. Major themes emerging from the Honduran students’ interviews were a) the language barrier, b) the American students’ work-style and temperament c) cultural differences, d) comparing Honduran and American nursing practice, and, e) the empowering effects of the experience. Findings revealed that both groups learned about each others’ culture by working together and by interacting informally. American students reported feeling more comfortable caring for people of other cultures as a direct result of studying abroad. The Hondurans reported feeling more confident about working with future foreign healthcare teams and expressed pride in their ability to practice nursing as equals alongside the American students. These findings highlight the merits of this model for nursing study abroad and point to the need for greater language proficiency and cultural knowledge for visiting as well as hosting students participating in such programs in the future.