Abstract
Introduction: International partnerships empower nurses with the capacity to address global health challenges. In August 2022, Phi Mu chapter in Bournemouth, England, UK, and Beta Zeta at-Large chapter in western Massachusetts, US, launched an informal peer chapter collaboration.
Purpose: The purpose is to promote a global partnership among chapter leaders and students and increase membership in Sigma as the preeminent international professional nursing organization positioned to promote global health equity.
Goals: Aligned with Sigma’s 2023-2025 Biennial Call to Action, Represent, the goals of this peer chapter collaboration are to reflect on our shared experiences, respect our diversity and distinct professional nursing heritage, and respond to the nursing practice and education challenges of an evolving global healthcare landscape.
Actions: Collaborative activities to date include two online peer chapter student collaboration events, opportunities for chapter leaders and members to connect at each other’s chapter meetings and programs, and the opportunity to participate in each other’s regional and national conference events.
Results: This peer chapter collaboration has enabled members to enjoy the benefits gained from joint endeavors. Students from the US and UK have come together via networking. Students highly rated the use of breakout rooms to engage with and learn from one another. In addition, Beta-Zeta at-Large members have been actively involved in presenting and leading sessions in the 7th European Regional Sigma Conference in June 2024 and Sigma’s President-Elect delivered the endnote address at the Sigma Region 15 Nursing Symposium held in the US, October 2024. Although scheduling of joint programs to accommodate the five-hour time difference has been challenging, the two chapters continue to share regular chapter meetings, and the partnership continues to thrive.
Implications for Practice: Peer chapter collaboration is recommended as an innovative model to respond to Sigma’s Call to Action strategy, mission, and vision and create international nursing partnerships that support Sigma’s global nursing excellence goals.
Notes
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Beta Zeta at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Global Leadership, Sustainable Development Goals, Leadership, Interprofessional and Global Collaborations
Recommended Citation
Sheils, Cheryl A.; Rosser, Elizabeth; Gelling, Leslie; Westcott, Liz; Thompson, Nancy; and Sabola, Cheryl, "Sigma Peer Chapter Collaboration: Promoting Global Partnerships" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 60.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/60
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-11-20
Sigma Peer Chapter Collaboration: Promoting Global Partnerships
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Introduction: International partnerships empower nurses with the capacity to address global health challenges. In August 2022, Phi Mu chapter in Bournemouth, England, UK, and Beta Zeta at-Large chapter in western Massachusetts, US, launched an informal peer chapter collaboration.
Purpose: The purpose is to promote a global partnership among chapter leaders and students and increase membership in Sigma as the preeminent international professional nursing organization positioned to promote global health equity.
Goals: Aligned with Sigma’s 2023-2025 Biennial Call to Action, Represent, the goals of this peer chapter collaboration are to reflect on our shared experiences, respect our diversity and distinct professional nursing heritage, and respond to the nursing practice and education challenges of an evolving global healthcare landscape.
Actions: Collaborative activities to date include two online peer chapter student collaboration events, opportunities for chapter leaders and members to connect at each other’s chapter meetings and programs, and the opportunity to participate in each other’s regional and national conference events.
Results: This peer chapter collaboration has enabled members to enjoy the benefits gained from joint endeavors. Students from the US and UK have come together via networking. Students highly rated the use of breakout rooms to engage with and learn from one another. In addition, Beta-Zeta at-Large members have been actively involved in presenting and leading sessions in the 7th European Regional Sigma Conference in June 2024 and Sigma’s President-Elect delivered the endnote address at the Sigma Region 15 Nursing Symposium held in the US, October 2024. Although scheduling of joint programs to accommodate the five-hour time difference has been challenging, the two chapters continue to share regular chapter meetings, and the partnership continues to thrive.
Implications for Practice: Peer chapter collaboration is recommended as an innovative model to respond to Sigma’s Call to Action strategy, mission, and vision and create international nursing partnerships that support Sigma’s global nursing excellence goals.
Description
In August 2022, Phi Mu chapter in England and Beta Zeta at-Large chapter in the US launched a collaboration to promote global partnerships in nursing. This initiative aligns with Sigma’s 2023-2025 Call to Action, focusing on shared student and nurses’ experiences and addressing challenges in nursing education and practice. Participants praise the networking opportunities, and the partnership thrives, demonstrating a successful model for fostering international nursing collaborations.