Abstract
The purpose of this project was to revise and evaluate a scaffolded nursing curriculum designed to build health equity competence in prelicensure students. Responding to nursing education priorities, the curriculum prepares learners to address persistent health disparities within increasingly interconnected global and local systems. Guided by the AACN Essentials framework, the model integrates didactic coursework, community-engaged learning, and global experiential opportunities to deepen understanding of social and structural determinants of health, population health principles, and culturally responsive practice.
The introductory course develops foundational competence through critical self-reflection on cultural identity, implicit bias, and the influence of personal assumptions on care. A subsequent population health course enables students to analyze community-level disparities and engage in experiential learning with local partners, exploring strategies for health promotion, disease prevention, and inclusive policy development. A preparatory seminar further strengthens these competencies by cultivating intercultural awareness, ethical global engagement, and global and population health literacy. Students consider intersectionality, international epidemiologic trends, and cultural influences on health outcomes while developing accountability as emerging global citizens.
The curriculum culminates in either an international immersion experience or a locally based community engagement option. Both pathways provide mentored practice in diverse health systems, allowing students to compare public health infrastructures, collaborate with community partners, and design health education initiatives grounded in advocacy, social justice, and human rights.
Preliminary evaluation outcomes, derived from qualitative analyses of reflective journals, faculty observations, and surveys, suggest increased cultural humility, strengthened population health competence, and deeper understanding of global and structural drivers of health disparities. Faculty also report enhanced interprofessional collaboration and expanded community and global partnerships. These findings highlight the value of integrated, scaffolded experiential learning as a replicable model that prepares future nurses to advance health equity and deliver person-centered, globally responsive care.
Notes
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References:
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2021). The Essentials: Core competencies for professional nursing education. https://www.aacnnursing.org/Essentials
Kang, J., Song, J., & Noh, W. (2024). Global health competency of nursing personnel: A cross-sectional study. SAGE Open Nursing, 10, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1177/23779608241274189
National Academy of Medicine. (2021). The future of nursing 2020–2030: Charting a path to achieve health equity. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25982
National League for Nursing. (2019). A vision for integration of the social determinants of health into nursing education curricula. https://www.nln.org
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (n.d.). Healthy People 2030: Social determinants of health. https://health.gov/healthypeople
Sigma Membership
Nu Eta
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Curriculum Development, Health Equity or Social Determinants of Health, Cultural Exchange Programs or Study Abroad, Nursing Education
Recommended Citation
Quay, Catherine; Etienne, Shirley; Hubbard, Lori; Koonts, Jeanmarie Rampolla; and Kussman, Cyra, "Advancing Nursing Student Competence in Health Equity Through Global and Community-Based Learning" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 234.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/234
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
2026-08-29
Advancing Nursing Student Competence in Health Equity Through Global and Community-Based Learning
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The purpose of this project was to revise and evaluate a scaffolded nursing curriculum designed to build health equity competence in prelicensure students. Responding to nursing education priorities, the curriculum prepares learners to address persistent health disparities within increasingly interconnected global and local systems. Guided by the AACN Essentials framework, the model integrates didactic coursework, community-engaged learning, and global experiential opportunities to deepen understanding of social and structural determinants of health, population health principles, and culturally responsive practice.
The introductory course develops foundational competence through critical self-reflection on cultural identity, implicit bias, and the influence of personal assumptions on care. A subsequent population health course enables students to analyze community-level disparities and engage in experiential learning with local partners, exploring strategies for health promotion, disease prevention, and inclusive policy development. A preparatory seminar further strengthens these competencies by cultivating intercultural awareness, ethical global engagement, and global and population health literacy. Students consider intersectionality, international epidemiologic trends, and cultural influences on health outcomes while developing accountability as emerging global citizens.
The curriculum culminates in either an international immersion experience or a locally based community engagement option. Both pathways provide mentored practice in diverse health systems, allowing students to compare public health infrastructures, collaborate with community partners, and design health education initiatives grounded in advocacy, social justice, and human rights.
Preliminary evaluation outcomes, derived from qualitative analyses of reflective journals, faculty observations, and surveys, suggest increased cultural humility, strengthened population health competence, and deeper understanding of global and structural drivers of health disparities. Faculty also report enhanced interprofessional collaboration and expanded community and global partnerships. These findings highlight the value of integrated, scaffolded experiential learning as a replicable model that prepares future nurses to advance health equity and deliver person-centered, globally responsive care.
Description
This project describes a scaffolded nursing curriculum that builds health equity competence through didactic, community-based, and global experiential learning. Findings show increased cultural humility, stronger population health skills, and improved understanding of structural and global health disparities. This model offers a replicable approach for preparing future nurses to advance health equity and deliver person-centered, globally responsive care.