Identifying priorities for establishing bilingual provision in nurse education: a scoping study

The learning experiences of international students in nursing and midwifery programs: A literature review

Globally, education continues to diversify, with a growing body of literature that describes the experiences of international higher education students. While the research includes representation from the health sciences, nursing and midwifery programs are underrepresented; understanding the experiences of international students therein may assist in determining whether discipline-specific teaching, learning and support is required. This review aims to summarise international nursing and midwifery students' perceptions of challenge and enablement when undertaking an undergraduate or baccalaureate program. A total of 408 articles were identified and after duplicates were removed and inclusion/exclusion criteria applied, eight primary studies were included. No papers were identified that reported on the experiences of international midwifery students. For international nursing students, five themes emerged: language and culture, isolation and segregation, teaching and learning, services and support, and resilience and growth. This review concludes that the available data both affirms the existing body of knowledge around international students and illuminates unique challenges and opportunities for nursing students undertaking clinical placements. There is a need for increased language and peer support, socialisation and specially educated support staff. Research is required to identify best practice in teaching methodology for an increasingly diverse cohort and importantly, to provide a midwifery perspective.

Health services for linguistic minorities in a bilingual setting: challenges for bilingual professionals

We explore in this qualitative research the challenges faced by bilingual health and social services professionals in a Canadian bilingual setting, as well as the strategies used to overcome them. Eight focus groups were conducted with a total of 43 bilingual Francophone professionals who offered services in French in 21 health and social service organizations in eastern Ontario, Canada. We highlight linguistic issues affecting a minority Francophone clientele, the shortage of services in French, and organizational issues within these agencies. The solutions that the professionals adopt for better serving the clients and overcoming these challenges focus on adapting services from linguistic angles. In the long term, such an enhanced approach can affect staff well-being. Ensuring access to services for linguistic minority populations and the active offer of same should not rest solely on the shoulders of such professionals, but rather on organizational strategies.