Facilitating Cultural Humility and Attunement for Nursing and Health Professions Students Through a Study Abroad Program in Kenya

Abstract

AIM This qualitative descriptive study aimed to evaluate the role of a short-term interprofessional study abroad program in Kenya on beginning awareness of cultural humility. BACKGROUND Students in the health care professions, including nursing, must learn to work effectively with diverse patient populations and provide culturally safe care. METHOD Course assignments of 21 students were thematically analyzed to discover how students applied concepts of cultural attunement to learn cultural humility while interacting with people in rural and urban Kenya. RESULTS Student narrations acknowledged all aspects of cultural attunement during the experience: the pain of oppression; acted with reverence; reported coming from a place of not knowing; engaged in acts of humility; engaged in mutuality; and reported attaining harmony, cooperation, and accord. CONCLUSION Findings suggest a short-term community-focused study abroad experience can be a valuable tool for beginning stages of becoming culturally humble and providing culturally safe health care.

Enhancing the Cultural Competence of Baccalaureate Nursing Students Through Short-term Study Abroad Programs

“…Two faculty members facilitated the awareness of diverse cultures, decreased ethnocentrism, increased ability to adapt to new environments, and increased self-efficacy. Kako and Klingbeil (2019) conducted a 2-week community-focused study abroad for nursing and healthcare professions students. The findings suggest short-term study abroad programs can facilitate the development of cultural humility and provision of culturally safe healthcare.…”

“…Kako and Klingbeil (2019) conducted a 2-week community-focused study abroad for nursing and healthcare professions students. The findings suggest short-term study abroad programs can facilitate the development of cultural humility and provision of culturally safe healthcare.…”

Implementing Successful Study Abroad Programs: Strategies and Recommendations for Faculty Members in the Social Sciences

“…For instance, Bell & Anscombe (2013) detail how their social work students visited a local school in India and then supported the school with completing an assessment of their health and sanitary needs. Likewise, Kako and Klingbeil (2019) share that nursing students on a study abroad program in Kenya visited community health centers and then taught community members about different health topics.…”

Developing Intercultural Competency in Public Health Study Abroad Program

“…Almost all studies reviewed for this paper mentioned cultural competence as a primary outcome of these experiences (Dixon, 2013;Koskinen & Tossavainen, 2003;McComb et al, 2019;Rew et al, 2003;Sandin et al, 2004). Cultural Competence is used both as a framework and as an outcome in many studies (Carpenter & Garcia, 2012;Gilboy & Bill, 2011;Kako et al, 2019;Ruddock & Turner, 2007). As mentioned above, cultural competence has been considered important for preparing healthcare professionals to serve diverse populations since the 1970s (Bentley & Ellison, 2007).…”

“…Many studies claim that there are several benefits to participation in study abroad programs, especially for students in healthcare. These benefits include professional and personal development, cross-cultural understanding, and increased global awareness and cultural sensitivity to diverse populations (Fenech et al, 2013;Guan & So, 2016;Kako & Klingbeil, 2019;Moorhead et al, 2014;Nguyen et al, 2018;Philips et al, 2017;Witkowsky & Mendez, 2018). Although there is widespread agreement that healthcare professionals need to be culturally competent, Hamilton (2009) argued it is less clear how to teach and measure cultural competence.…”