Perceived Benefits of Study Abroad Programs for Nursing Students: An Integrative Review

Abstract

Study abroad programs that off er health care experiences in another country have become an important method in nursing education to increase students' understanding of cultural competence and intercultural sensitivity and to present them with new ideas and opportunities for personal and career development. Despite the many alleged positive attributes associated with such programs, a gap exists in the overall understanding of the benefits obtained by undergraduate nursing students who study abroad. Using Cooper's framework, 13 studies that explored the benefits of study abroad programs for undergraduate nursing students were reviewed. Findings suggest that participation in a study abroad experience is associated with many benefits for nursing students, including various forms of personal and professional growth, cultural sensitivity and competence, and cognitive development. Although research outcomes are encouraging, the nursing literature regarding this topic is limited, and more rigorous research studies are needed to support this educational practice.

Learning beyond expectations: Evaluation of an international nursing student exchange

“…These findings agree with the evaluation of programs with similar objectives, [1,4,8,10] and suggest that nursing programs should reinforce these types of initiatives.…”

“…[1] The evaluation of this two-sided exchange program closely aligns with the gains reported in the literature; which showed an increased capacity for students to reflect on the professional role of the nurse beyond a traditional setting. [10,15] However, while participants understood the expanded role of the nurse in the community during the exchange, this experience did not have an impact on their projected nursing specialization choice.…”

“…[3] Over the past ten years, international exchange programs have been established to raise cultural and global awareness in nursing students, [7,8] with the goal of developing culturally competent practitioners. [9,10] These programs have become a significant pedagogy in nursing to increase students understanding of cultural competence and intercultural sensitivity. [10] Common benefits of international nursing exchange programs are reported as (a) learning cultural differences, [3,4,11] building cultural competence, [5,9,10] comparing health care systems and nursing practice, [12,13] personal growth, [13,14] career development, [3,10,15] cognitive development, [9,10] transcultural adaptation, [3] understanding of population-based health care problems, [14] improvement in linguistic capabilities, [4,13] team work, [8] and developing an awareness of one's own culture, structure and practice that impact the student and the world, [9,15] and aid students in becoming better global citizens.…”

“…Consequently, short-term exchange programs have become more commonplace. While increased recognition regarding the significance of a student exchange exists, [10] empirical data on the assessment of learning outcomes for the student experience remain limited. [1] This lack of data creates a gap in overall understanding of the benefits obtained by undergraduate nursing students who study abroad and requires further investigation.…”

What characterizes Norwegian nursing students’ reflective journals during clinical placement in an African country?

“…Their time abroad also contributes to personal and professional development (Green, Johansson, Rosser, Tengnah, & Segrott, 2008;Kelleher, 2013) and an increased interest in global health policy and a desire to ''do something'' for those who suffer (Callister & Cox, 2006;GreatrexWhite, 2008). A study among Swedish exchange students highlighted these differences when describing ethical dilemmas, culture clashes and negative ratings of their experiences (Sandin & Grahn, 2004).…”