Abstract

Nurses worldwide play an important role in improving global health due to their collective education and clinical practice experiences. They bring a patient centered focus to care delivery and their hands-on experience enables them to better observe how healthcare policies and programs affect people and their communities (Salvage & White, 2020). While nursing curriculum includes elements of global health, the need for an academic framework was identified that prepares nurses to improve global health outcomes for all clients (Bain & Adeagbo, 2022). Nursing practice has witnessed increased mobility, as more than 12% of nurses work in a country other than where they were born or educated (Baker, Cary & Bento, 2021). Nurses require a strong foundation in global health to meet demands. Yet, nursing education varies across the globe, and in recognition of nurse mobility and educational variance, the World Health Organization (WHO, 2024) set forth policies to ensure public health competencies are met, and nurse leaders are prepared to institute evidence-based practice in global healthcare.

The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop approaches to internationalize best practices in global nursing education by partnering with health science faculty at the University of Dundee. Focus was placed on integrating international health perspectives that serve to increase students’ global knowledge in undergraduate and graduate programs (Kunaviktikul & Turale, 2020). The aim was to develop a virtual global health seminar that prepares students to assess global health risks that include geopolitical, socioeconomic, and environmental factors that disrupt the delivery of quality healthcare. Three health topics were selected for discussion during the seminar. A public health worker was also recorded discussing scenarios related to those selected health topics. Questions were asked at the end of the videos that relate to each topic and focus on health care delivery. Students were paired with their international colleagues to discuss how the seminar content relates to their practice. Outcomes are measured by assessing increases in global health awareness via pre/post seminar surveys that were designed to explore this international experience. Forming an international partnership was critical to developing and delivering this experience and nursing faculty should consider this strategy when working to embed global health content into nursing curricula.

Notes

References: Bain LE, Adeagbo OA. (2022). There is an urgent need for a global rural health research agenda. Pan Afr Med J. 18; 43:147. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2022.43.147.38189.

Baker C, Cary AH, da Conceicao Bento M. (2021). Global standards for professional nursing education: The time is now. J Prof Nurs. 37(1):86-92. doi: 10.1016/j.profnurs.2020.10.001.

Kunaviktikul, W. & Turale, S. (2020). Internationalizing nursing curricula in a rapidly globalizing world. Nurse Education in Practice, 43, 1-3. doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2020.102704

Salvage J, White J. (2020). Our future is global: Nursing leadership and global health. Rev Lat Am Enfermagem, 28: e3339. doi: 10.1590/1518-8345.4542.3339. Epub 2020 Aug 31. PMID: 32876292; PMCID: PMC7458571.

World Health Organization (WHO) (2024). Nursing and midwifery. https://www.who.int/health-topics/nursing#tab=tab_1

Description

This presentation provides a best practice approach to the internationalization of nursing curriculum that will educate students in global health care. The aim of this project was to develop a virtual global health seminar that prepares students to assess global health risks that include geopolitical, socioeconomic, and environmental factors that disrupt the delivery of quality healthcare.

Author Details

Carolyn Meehan, PhD; Julie McCulloh Nair, PhD

Sigma Membership

Xi Delta

Type

Presentation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Other

Research Approach

Other

Keywords:

Curriculum Development, Academic-clinical Partnership, Global Leadership, International Partnerships, Global Health

Conference Name

36th International Nursing Research Congress

Conference Host

Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

Seattle, Washington, 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.

Review Type

Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

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Strengthening Global Health Curriculum Via International Partnerships

Seattle, Washington, USA

Nurses worldwide play an important role in improving global health due to their collective education and clinical practice experiences. They bring a patient centered focus to care delivery and their hands-on experience enables them to better observe how healthcare policies and programs affect people and their communities (Salvage & White, 2020). While nursing curriculum includes elements of global health, the need for an academic framework was identified that prepares nurses to improve global health outcomes for all clients (Bain & Adeagbo, 2022). Nursing practice has witnessed increased mobility, as more than 12% of nurses work in a country other than where they were born or educated (Baker, Cary & Bento, 2021). Nurses require a strong foundation in global health to meet demands. Yet, nursing education varies across the globe, and in recognition of nurse mobility and educational variance, the World Health Organization (WHO, 2024) set forth policies to ensure public health competencies are met, and nurse leaders are prepared to institute evidence-based practice in global healthcare.

The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop approaches to internationalize best practices in global nursing education by partnering with health science faculty at the University of Dundee. Focus was placed on integrating international health perspectives that serve to increase students’ global knowledge in undergraduate and graduate programs (Kunaviktikul & Turale, 2020). The aim was to develop a virtual global health seminar that prepares students to assess global health risks that include geopolitical, socioeconomic, and environmental factors that disrupt the delivery of quality healthcare. Three health topics were selected for discussion during the seminar. A public health worker was also recorded discussing scenarios related to those selected health topics. Questions were asked at the end of the videos that relate to each topic and focus on health care delivery. Students were paired with their international colleagues to discuss how the seminar content relates to their practice. Outcomes are measured by assessing increases in global health awareness via pre/post seminar surveys that were designed to explore this international experience. Forming an international partnership was critical to developing and delivering this experience and nursing faculty should consider this strategy when working to embed global health content into nursing curricula.