"Poverty is our Biggest Enemy": Canadian Nursing Students’ International Learning Experiences (ILEs)

Abstract

International Learning Experiences (ILEs) have been a cornerstone of global health education for nursing programs throughout the world. Camosun College's Nursing Department (Victoria, BC, Canada) has conducted numerous ILEs in many developed and developing countries for over a decade with only anecdotal evidence to support these rich yet challenging international placements. Thus, the principle objectives of this research aimed to explore the impact of study abroad placements on students' global health knowledge acquisition, and personal and professional growth, in addition to understanding the important perspectives of the host countries. The methodology combined qualitative and quantitative components and employed a global health framework. The data collection tools included focus group discussions, global health themed critical reflections, a survey, and a structured questionnaire. An interpretive description approach guided the analysis. The results revealed the complexity of the students' personal and professional journey as they incorporated global health concepts into their novice practice. Furthermore, health promotion was a critical dimension of the data illuminating student's enhanced knowledge levels of principles of upstream thinking and effective health education strategies. Cultural competence as a key learning outcome fostered complex ethical discussions supporting the concept of cultural comportment. It is hoped that these research findings, coupled with recommendations for best practice, will help inform the debate on the merits and challenges of ILEs, ensuring that vital concepts of global health knowledge and cultural competence are deeply embedded into future international nursing placements.