Background and Significance:
International nursing experiences are important learning opportunities for both students and faculty. The experiences provide an enrichment to nursing practice, a global perspective of healthcare and a cultural awareness and sensitivity which all serve to enhance the profession of nursing. Several methods of providing these experiences for students and nursing faculty has been cited in the literature including short term trips, semester long study abroad programs, and visiting scholar appointments. All of these opportunities involve collaboration, relationship building and sustainable programs to ensure consistent quality educational outcomes.
Purpose:
This presentation will provide an example of the partnership between a US School of Nursing and a Brazilian School of Nursing in order to provide experiences for both undergraduate and graduate nursing students as well as nursing faculty in a sustainable program.
Methods and Results:
A collaborative effort between both schools was begun informally 3 years ago. As the relationship developed between the leadership teams in both Schools of Nursing a vision and related goals for each school was established for an exchange. Thus began the movement to a more structured exchange program which was outlined in a contract between the two Universities. Alignment of nursing curriculum and clinical opportunities were designed in collaboration between the two nursing faculties to allow undergraduate and graduate nursing students from the US to experience an immersion into the Brazilian healthcare system. Nursing faculty from Brazil traveled to the US to experience US healthcare and develop further language skills to enhance the exchange experience and foster research efforts. Future plans are underway for experienced nurses from Brazil to travel to the US along with nursing faculty. Technological advances have enhanced communication between the two schools and has fostered relationship and team building which is critical to the sustainability of the program. Language barriers continue to exist, although more at the faculty level compared with the student exchange.
Conclusions:
The model of collaboration and exchange built upon a trusting relationship and mutual identification of goals and outcomes is an effective way to establish collaborative partnerships between two Schools of Nursing in two different countries. This model allows for efficient exchange of students and faculty to foster sustainable relationships, increase understanding of global healthcare systems and ultimately to impact nursing practice.