The Lived Experience of Global Interprofessional Compassionate Caring in Guatemala

Purpose:

The purpose of this project is to describe the experiences of participants in an interprofessional study abroad global healthcare program. A phenomenological research design will be used to describe and analyze the experience of global interprofessional compassionate caring in Guatemala. Four benefits of a study abroad opportunity have been identified as (1) personal growth, awareness, and appreciation of diversity; (2) development pf personal and interpersonal skills; (3) career focus and academic focus; and (4) critical-thinking skills and the ability to apply academic concepts in real-global situations (Jackson & Nyoni, 2012). 

Interprofessional education (IPE) provides students with opportunities to learn and practice skills that improve their ability to communicate and collaborate (National Academy of Sciences, 2013).  In the experiences of learning with and from those in other professions such as medicine, pharmacy, nursing, theology, and Spanish language experts. Students also develop leadership qualities and respect for each other of which prepares them to work in teams and in settings where collaboration is the key to success.  The World health Organization (2010) defines IPE as an experience with two or more professions learn about, from, and with each other. Providing a global and cultural context adds to the benefit of complementing a professional identity.  Experiential learning is the key element in IPE. The global environment such as a study abroad program allows for the student to enter a cultural environment to better understand how to work collaboratively.

Methods:

IRB approval was obtained and participants created a story in narrative form about their experience while providing health care in Guatemala in March 17 to March 21, 2014.  The written narrative occurred two months after the experience allowing for time to reminisce and reflect on the experience. By constructing a story using written narratives to explain and interpret events the researchers were able to provide data about the social and cultural position in global health care among interprofessional health care providers. The textual consideration of the written narrative so that the story making was central to creating an understanding of the world into which a person can feel they fit in. Utilizing Labov (1982) structural analysis, the following six functional elements of abstract, orientation, complicating action, evaluation, resolution and coda will be used for analysis of the written narratives from the participants of this study. The narrative was analyzed using content analysis approach.

Results:

The researchers identified three relational themes that emerged across the text of the study: 1. Cultural Collaboration, 2. Compassionate Presence, 3. Intentional Knowing. The constitutive pattern was synthesized from the three relational themes to be the discovery of global interprofessional narratives. 

Conclusion:

While serving the Mayan people of Guatemala, students, educators, and providers were able to reflect and reminisce on providing global interprofessional compassionate caring opportunities. Participants were able to construct their story, ruminating on the experience as a whole. The researchers used the participants' written narratives to discover the social and cultural position in global healthcare among interprofesisonal healthcare providers. The identification of the three relational themes underscore the importance of continuing to provide global interprofessional healthcare experiences.