| Learning Objective #1: Examine the components of a study abroad program for graduate nursing students | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Explore the benefits to graduate nursing students of participation in a study abroad program |
Nurse Practitioner students are expected to develop cultural competence through their graduate studies. Their required courses contain material and experiences which provide a broad understanding of cultural and its importance in the successful delivery of healthcare. This three hour elective course is designed to allow students to compare and contrast selected aspects of the history and organization of the healthcare delivery system of a specific culture, French, with the United States through traditional classroom experiences on campus. Additionally, students are afforded the unique opportunity to interact with French nurses and university-based nurse educators in academic and clinical practice settings during a seven day immersion experience in Paris, France. While in France, they explore first hand, the nursing profession and the socialized health care system of France, while steeping themselves in the rich cultural traditions of the French people and their language.
The sixteen graduate students who have participated in the course to date, have been overwhelmingly positive in their evaluation of the course. As a result of the experience, these graduate students have produced 3 publications, 2 unpublished manuscripts, 2 Powerpoint(tm) presentations and 3 scholarly papers. Further, the success of this course has led to development of similar courses studying healthcare in Ireland and Russia, with one to England in the planning stages. All are modeled after the original France program, and include the seven day immersion experience as the capstone.