Short of Transformation: American ADN Students' Thoughts, Feelings, and Experiences of Studying Abroad in a Low-Income Country

Abstract

ADN students are a large yet distinct subgroup of nursing students who require research and understanding. The purpose of this study was to describe the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of American associate degree nursing (ADN) students who participated in a short study abroad course in a low-income country. A qualitative, narrative method was used. Three categories emerged from the analysis. Participants revealed thoughts of "constant comparisons", feelings of an "emotional journey", and they experienced "learning". Participants did not demonstrate perspective transformation as defined by Mezirow as participants signified no intent for social action. Several potential blocks to perspective transformation were identified: egocentrism/emotional disconnect, perceived powerlessness/being overwhelmed, and a vacation mindset. The findings provide insight into the student experience of studying abroad. Transformative learning is not a guaranteed result. Nurse educators must consider strategies to foster transformation including discussing global systemic oppressors, international relations, coping, connecting, and social action.

Opportunity to Learn to See the World from a New Angle: The Impact of International Art Study Tours on Creative Arts Students’ Learning

“…In addition to confidence building, the educational merit of study abroad is discussed in the literature included: academic progress and intellectual development (Foronda and Belknap 2012); an increase in international, functional knowledge; and a deeper understanding of global interdependence (Sutton and Rubin 2004;Chieffo and Griffiths 2004). Study abroad tours can contribute to improvements in personal skills and increase students' interest in further study (Nunan2006).…”

A transformational study abroad process model for nursing educators consideration

“…[60][61][62][63] Thompson and Christofi combined Piaget's theory of equilibrium and Adler's re-acculturation coping styles to explain how a student struggles to adjust to their new environment when going abroad and upon return. [64][65][66] They described how a student's struggle results in a cognitive unbalancing (disequilibrium) in the student where their natural tendency to organize and adjust is activated and they learn to accommodate (rework) their understanding of themselves, others, and their environment in such a way that they are able to regain their balance (equilibrium) and adapt.…”

“…[26][27][28][29][30][31] These negative outcomes, have at times shackled students personally and professionally, depriving them of the full benefit of studying abroad that they sought when they applied to go abroad. [32][33][34][35][36] If even a relatively small number of study abroad nurse alumni find themselves coping with buried and/or unresolved grief as a result of the devastating suffering they have witnessed abroad, or if they are unable to make peace with their feelings of differentness, confusion, threat, loneliness, and disappointment in relationship to self and others that surfaced in-tandem with the study abroad experience, [37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46] might the full benefit of the study abroad experience be lost to these individuals, as well as to the global community they are preparing to serve? And, if theoretically sound programs are not in place to sufficiently address the needs of all nursing students who study abroad, will not the casualty numbers grow as more opportunities to study abroad are made available?…”

“…[47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58] If indeed the "future of nursing is international", nursing educators have a responsibility to prepare nurses who are able to take action focused on meeting the healthcare needs of "our neighbors" globally. [59] Thus, the purpose of this research was to better understand the study abroad experience in its entirety from the students' points of view; not just the successes, but the pitfalls and potential remedies, in an effort to capture the process by which transformational learning takes place in students and to identify specific elements of curricular and support programing that need to be included in study abroad programming, particularly for nursing students, in order to maximize their academic transformative success through studying abroad.…”

Outcomes of an International Cooperative Education Experience for Undergraduate Nursing Students

“…An international experience, particularly in low-resource (developing) countries, has been shown to increase self-reported outcomes such as self-confidence, 1-3 maturation, [3][4][5][6][7] ability to cope with risks and hardships, 2,7-9 insight into one's own culture through comparisons with the host culture, 7,10,11 and heightened appreciation for the economic prosperity in one's home country. 6,8,12 One study of international co-op for science and technology majors also showed that the co-op experience increased students' selfconfidence, language skills, and cultural understanding. 13 Research about the impact of study abroad on professional development has shown that nursing students' self-reported cultural sensitivity, engagement, and competence increases as a result of international clinical experiences.…”