Nursing Students’ Experiences of Health Care in Swaziland: Transformational Processes in Developing Cultural Understanding

Abstract

The stress and cultural dissonance experienced by students led to an increase in cultural understanding and awareness.

Something has shifted: Nursing students’ global perspective following international clinical placements

“…Broadly speaking, participants in south‐east Asia had an inspiring time, they felt that they had made small but meaningful differences in the patients’ lives (Reid‐Searl, Dwyer, Moxhamc, Happell, & Sandere, ; Tuckett & Crompton, ) and could see the benefits of primary health care. Participants who travelled to Africa were confronted by the resource poor and difficult conditions they experienced and they felt unable to help and were less able to engage (Johannessen, Hovland, & Steen, ; Murray, ). However, they came away with strong personal growth and a strong desire to return in a meaningful way.…”

“…Pre‐registration nursing programmes in Australia increasingly have international clinical placements in developing countries included to expose students to global health realities, different health systems and cultural diversity. The short‐term impacts of these experiences include improvements in cultural self‐efficacy, self‐confidence, communication skills and understanding global perspectives (Browne, Fetherston, & Medigovich, ; Larson, Orr, & Miles, ; Murray, ). However, little is known about the longer term influence; these experiences have on nurses’ understandings of global health systems and the social determinants of health, nor on any influence on students’ practice in the Australian health system after graduation.…”

Preliminary Insights into International Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Placements in Disability and Student Recommendations for Success

“…Research also confirms that students on international WIL undergo a transformative change in their thought processes when they confront their own cultural beliefs and biases when exposed to cultures profoundly different from their own (Mkandawire-Valhmu & Doering, 2012). Peiying et al (2012), Charles et al (2014) and Murray (2015) stated that when students are on an international placement they displayed the following characteristics: their cultural sensitivity is increased through cultural dissonance; increased vigilance and adaptation to environment; uncertainty and anticipation; grappling with supremacy; recognising and appreciating differences; and cultural immersion.…”

“…At times the participants struggled with the local food, the pace of the placement activities and with the hot and humid weather. A number of other studies have discussed how it is necessary for students to experience the discomfort of being outside their comfort zone in order for them to achieve positive growth and awareness in their cultural understanding (Charles et al, 2014;Murray, 2015;Smith-Miller et al, 2010;Stachowski & Sparks, 2007).…”

Learning in liminality. Student experiences of learning during a nursing study abroad journey: A hermeneutic phenomenological research study

“…Student nurse learning during study abroad 3 03/19 revised 04/19 final Murray, 2015). Whilst Ruddock and Turner (2007) discuss development of an awareness of global health, global graduateness (Diamond et al, 2011) is rarely considered.…”