Learning beyond expectations: Evaluation of an international nursing student exchange

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Study abroad programs, through international exchanges in undergraduate nursing schools, are becoming common in response to a globalized world and imperative for nurses to acquire cultural awareness and related competencies. Increased recognition of exchanges exists, with limited empirical evaluation of learning outcomes. The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of a short-term international exchange on Portuguese and American nursing students in respect to its influence on learning. Methods: A mixed-method research design was utilized for data collection. Online survey (demographic data and revised HPSISN tool) and focus group data collection using synchronous chat groups captured nursing student experiences and perceptions about their participation in a two-sided exchange. Results: Focus group data from sixteen nursing students (aged 20-39) delineated two major themes: 1) Expectations of the student exchange with three subthemes: a) motivations to participate, b) met versus unmet expectations, and c) beyond expectations; and, 2) Learning (how and what) with six subthemes: a) understanding cultural differences, b) recognizing a different health care system, c) reconsidering the role of the nurse, d) building team work, e) integrating theory into practice, and f) peer mutual learning. Survey data across the four dimensions: 1) Perspectives of exchange, 2) attitude toward community involvement, 3) future professional work and, 4) personal reflection exhibited students acquired personal and professional competencies that were beyond their expectations of the exchange. Conclusions: Results strongly support nursing student participation in international exchange programs develops personal growth and professional competencies that may impact future practice when caring for diverse patient populations. Universities should develop and foster global programs for student engagement.

Facilitators and Barriers to Critical Service-Learning Goals in a Community-Academic Relationship

“…A place for open-ended comments was included at the end of the survey. The Health Professions Schools in Service to the Nation survey for community partners has been used in prior studies and has been validated and found to be reliable 16. Findings from a descriptive analysis of partner surveys in years 1 and 2 were compared with Mattessich et al's13 6 categories—environment, membership characteristics, process/structure, communication, purpose, and resources—to capture relationship facilitators and barriers to critical SL goals within the context of the SL partnership.…”

Evaluasi Pembelajaran Mahasiswa Keperawatan: Sebuah Tinjauan

“…Pelaksanaan refleksi diri dalam proses pembelajaran dan ekspektasi yang tercapai juga mendasari keberhasilan pembelajaran (Pereira et al, 2017). Pelaksanaan self-evaluation menjadi kunci karena terdapat kesadaran dan kebutuhan akan evaluasi mandiri terhadap diri untuk meningkatkan kapasitas dan pencapaian diri.…”

The Impact of College Students’ Perceived Service Quality in the Context of Regional Integration of Education

“…The influence of expectation on quality and satisfaction has also been examined empirically in the context of exchange programs. Student expectations in exchange programs may encompass personal experiences (Nilsson, 2015), communication skill improvement, learning about foreign cultures, and making new friends among local university students (Costas and Singco, 2016;Yang et al, 2023), community involvement attitudes, future professional work, personal reflection (Pereira et al, 2017), social, and academic development, improvement of foreign language skills (K€ uc x€ ukc xene & Akbasli, 2021), transfer of theoretical knowledge to practice, and a supportive learning environment (Dursun Ergezen et al, 2022). These studies have concluded that there is a positive correlation between expectation and satisfaction, as well as expectation and quality.…”