Abstract
In June of 2025, two private universities – one in the Midwestern US and the other in Rwanda, Africa, entered a partnership and began collaborating on a DNP program with emphasis on global health, leadership, and advanced level nursing. While the idea of international academic partnership is not new, in this case, the mutually agreed outcomes were intentional and reciprocal. Both universities have graduate Nursing programs that include a Leadership focus. Even though students are geographically diverse, they are all focused on advancing their professional identity as nurse leaders. As a result, faculty partners launched the intercultural Journal Club (JC) in 2025.The purpose is to provide a platform to bring together graduate students to engage in academic dialogue and cross-cultural exchange.
Journal Clubs (JCs) are often incorporated in undergraduate education, but little is known about their impact with graduate intercultural nursing students (Mohamed et al, 2025). JCs provide a learning space to bridge the knowledge gap between practice and research (Vortman, 2021). Aronson, (2017) discussed them as a forum for developing skills in critical appraisal. Mater et al (2025) suggested virtual JCs allow the elimination of geographical barriers and provide flexibility with busy schedules. Further, virtual JCs might provide a forum for intellectual engagement and foster a sense of community. Building on these insights, faculty felt that a graduate, international, virtual JC could become a place of engagement, education and meaningful intercultural connection.
Two faculty, one from each university, chose relevant articles that combine the focus areas of nursing leadership and cultural exchange. Sigma’s Global Nursing Leadership Competency Framework served as a model (Sigma, 2025). During one JC, the article and discussion questions were used to initiate conversations. As students became more confident, the dialogue evolved into a discussion around recruitment strategies to manage limited nursing staffing in their respective countries. Eight students attended, 5 from the Rwanda,3 from US and 6 faculty. Students were from USA, Haiti, Rwanda, Malawi, Nigeria, and Liberia. An evaluation form was sent to student participants. Findings from this and planned JCs will be analyzed and available for dissemination at the time of the conference. Future JCs should create collaborative nursing leadership dialogue that serves as a catalyst for a global network of nurse leaders.
Notes
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References:
Aronson, J.K. (2017). Journal Clubs: 2. Why and how to run them and how to publish them. Evidence-Based Medicine. (22:6). 232-234.
Mater, K., Troyer, J., Sauve, S., Berinde, C., Justice, R., & Iseler, J. (2025). Developing Essential Leadership Competencies: A Graduate Student Book Club Experience. Clinical Nurse Specialist (Sept/Oct 2025). DOI: 10.1097/NUR.0000000000000913
Mohamed, R. A. et al. (2025). Professional experiences with journal club implementation in postgraduate nursing: a qualitative study. BMC Nursing, 24:1166. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03841-z
Sigma Theta Tau International (2025). Global Nursing Leadership Competency Framework. Retrieved from: https://www.sigmanursing.org/global-nursing-leadership-competency-framework
Vortman, R. (2021). Meeting the Doctor of Nursing Practice Essentials Through a Journal Club Clinical Experience. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing. Vol 52, No 3, 2021. doi:10.3928/00220124-20210216-06
Sigma Membership
Iota Tau
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Academic-Clinical Partnership, Global Leadership, Virtual Learning, Nursing Education, Graduate Nursing Students, Graduate Nursing Education, Cultural Diversity, Journal Clubs
Recommended Citation
Davis, Becky; Ewing, Helen; Luger, Shelly; and Ndaimani, Augustine, "Implementing an Intercultural Journal Club for Graduate Nursing Students" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 112.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/112
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
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
2026-08-03
Implementing an Intercultural Journal Club for Graduate Nursing Students
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
In June of 2025, two private universities – one in the Midwestern US and the other in Rwanda, Africa, entered a partnership and began collaborating on a DNP program with emphasis on global health, leadership, and advanced level nursing. While the idea of international academic partnership is not new, in this case, the mutually agreed outcomes were intentional and reciprocal. Both universities have graduate Nursing programs that include a Leadership focus. Even though students are geographically diverse, they are all focused on advancing their professional identity as nurse leaders. As a result, faculty partners launched the intercultural Journal Club (JC) in 2025.The purpose is to provide a platform to bring together graduate students to engage in academic dialogue and cross-cultural exchange.
Journal Clubs (JCs) are often incorporated in undergraduate education, but little is known about their impact with graduate intercultural nursing students (Mohamed et al, 2025). JCs provide a learning space to bridge the knowledge gap between practice and research (Vortman, 2021). Aronson, (2017) discussed them as a forum for developing skills in critical appraisal. Mater et al (2025) suggested virtual JCs allow the elimination of geographical barriers and provide flexibility with busy schedules. Further, virtual JCs might provide a forum for intellectual engagement and foster a sense of community. Building on these insights, faculty felt that a graduate, international, virtual JC could become a place of engagement, education and meaningful intercultural connection.
Two faculty, one from each university, chose relevant articles that combine the focus areas of nursing leadership and cultural exchange. Sigma’s Global Nursing Leadership Competency Framework served as a model (Sigma, 2025). During one JC, the article and discussion questions were used to initiate conversations. As students became more confident, the dialogue evolved into a discussion around recruitment strategies to manage limited nursing staffing in their respective countries. Eight students attended, 5 from the Rwanda,3 from US and 6 faculty. Students were from USA, Haiti, Rwanda, Malawi, Nigeria, and Liberia. An evaluation form was sent to student participants. Findings from this and planned JCs will be analyzed and available for dissemination at the time of the conference. Future JCs should create collaborative nursing leadership dialogue that serves as a catalyst for a global network of nurse leaders.
Description
A Journal Club was created within an international partnership of two universities with graduate programs in Nursing Leadership. This provides a platform to bring geographically diverse graduate nursing students together in academic dialogue and cross-cultural exchange. With ongoing interaction, this exchange of ideas for collaborative nursing leadership may serve as a catalyst for a global network of nurse leaders committed to advancing leadership, scholarship, and impact across borders.