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Learning Objective 1: The learner will examine four methods implemented to engage nursing students in the cross-cultural exchange of nursing knowledge and health education to underserved populations internationally.
Learning Objective 2: The learner will identify four key components of interdisciplinary collaboration in the development of international mentoring relationships and facilitation of improvements in health care globally.
This poster presentation provides an overview of a program developed and implemented by a baccalaureate-nursing program for a global interdisciplinary learning experience. Nursing students traveled with an interdisciplinary medical-surgical team to Burkina Faso, Africa from January 14, 2011 to January 22, 2011. Students provided nursing care, health care education and established cross-cultural mentoring relationships to aid the underserved people in Western Africa. A professional exchange of methods and ideas took place between interdisciplinary health care providers from Africa and America through improvisation with limited resources, technology, and interpreters. Students explored the socio-cultural differences between health care in America and Western Africa, analyzing professional responsibilities of health care providers as they relate to ethical, moral, and legal obligations in the delivery and management of health care to underserved populations. Other aspects of the travel abroad experience are presented.
Methods:
This exploratory descriptive study completed after the international learning experience examines: professional responsibilities, improvisation with resources available and utilization of technology to facilitate communication to provide health care in a third world country; global interdisciplinary collaboration and mentoring activities; and nursing knowledge utilized during field experience.
Results:
A qualitative content analysis and examination of reflective journals identifies how professionalism, mentoring, interdisciplinary collaboration and utilization of nursing knowledge resulted in the provision of culturally competent and ethically sound health care to underserved individuals in a third world country.
Conclusions:
Conclusions are ongoing since the return to America. The long-term goal is to develop educational leadership and research activities that facilitate ethically sound improvements in health care globally through shared nursing knowledge and global interdisciplinary mentoring relationships between America and Africa.