Development of global skills can focus the nurse and midwife to influence policy-level decisions. Human resource planning that can impact countrywide provision of health care begins in the preservice setting for both nurses and midwives. A global experience can be a value-added component to the well-rounded education of future nurses. Education during preparation for entry into practice is a strategic way to develop a worldview. Incorporating reflective practice can build skills and shape attitudes to prepare the new nurse to be comfortable as a global healthcare provider. An expanded world view is the springboard to more robust and informed involvement and inclusion in policy-level discussions.
Study abroad programs have increased dramatically. Most programs are short-term and include a cultural immersion as well as classroom and/or service learning. In this article, the authors discuss a study abroad program to China that included cultural immersion and classroom learning specific to traditional Chinese medicine. Participants kept journals with specific writing assignments and reflections about their experiences during the trip. At the conclusion of the trip, a qualitative survey was administered to the participants. Outcomes included the benefits of cultural immersion and a greater appreciation of cultural diversity, complementary and alternative medicine and holistic health care. Participants were able to describe transformational experiences of living in and learning from the Chinese culture and peoples. They intended to incorporate their experiences and enhanced understanding of traditional Chinese medicine and complementary and alternative therapies to provide culturally competent holistic health care in their nursing practice.
Purpose: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) proposes the world as a holistic unity of energy. With a long history of use, TCM is generally accepted in the Chinese health care system. Despite growing global interest and use, TCM has received a mixed response from Western health care systems. This study aimed to describe the underpinnings of TCM, compare TCM and Western medicine, and suggest how key modalities might be applied to strengthen holistic nursing care in the United States. Design: A qualitative, descriptive exploratory investigation employing a constructivist grounded theory. Method: Interview of TCM healers in Hong Kong ( n = 5). Transcripts were reviewed to identify common themes and categories. Findings: Five themes were identified: improvement in energy flow and health, TCM as “a way of knowing,” curing source versus symptoms of disease, declining TCM practice in Hong Kong, and need for interprofessional education. Conclusions: TCM is considered useful in chronic illnesses, whereas those with acute illnesses often seek Western medicine. Failing to address the holistic care needs and preferences of individuals results in less than optimal health outcomes. Nurses need explicit TCM content and would benefit from a restructuring of curricula and clinical experiences to foster integration into caring practices.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.