Relationships with undergraduate nursing exchange students--a tutor perspective

Predictors of nurses' level of participation in student care: A multivariable analysis

OBJECTIVE

To determine the association and predictive nature of certain socio-demographic, education, work and research variables on nurses' participation level in the clinical care of students.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional analytical study using a validated questionnaire between February and June 2014.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A consecutive sample of 117 nurses who worked in public health centres in the province of Castellón (Spain) in 2014. The nurses who had never mentored students and the questionnaires that were <50% complete were excluded.

METHODS

A descriptive analysis of the sample and an association analysis between variables were performed. The questionnaire and its dimensions were performed with a logistic regression and the maximum likelihood method, which used a complementary log-log link method. The concordance index was calculated using contingency tables.

RESULTS

The mean age was 42.56 years, and the overall mean questionnaire score was 122.84 (SD = 18.69; 95% CI: 119.415-126.26). Across the sample, 58.1% (n = 68) of the nurses obtained an Excellent score, followed by Adequate in 41% (n = 48). Overall, the predictive variables were age, mentoring of students in the last 5 years and previous training to mentor students.

CONCLUSION

The main predictive variable for greater participation in the mentorship of students was previous training in mentoring. This study also reflected on other variables that could influence nurses' participation in student mentoring.

Clinical learning environment and supervision of international nursing students: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Previously, it has been shown that the clinical learning environment causes challenges for international nursing students, but there is a lack of empirical evidence relating to the background factors explaining and influencing the outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

To describe international and national students' perceptions of their clinical learning environment and supervision, and explain the related background factors.

DESIGN

An explorative cross-sectional design was used in a study conducted in eight universities of applied sciences in Finland during September 2015-May 2016.

METHODS

All nursing students studying English language degree programs were invited to answer a self-administered questionnaire based on both the clinical learning environment, supervision and nurse teacher scale and Cultural and Linguistic Diversity scale with additional background questions. Participants (n=329) included international (n=231) and Finnish (n=98) nursing students. Binary logistic regression was used to identify background factors relating to the clinical learning environment and supervision.

RESULTS

International students at a beginner level in Finnish perceived the pedagogical atmosphere as worse than native speakers. In comparison to native speakers, these international students generally needed greater support from the nurse teacher at their university. Students at an intermediate level in Finnish reported two times fewer negative encounters in cultural diversity at their clinical placement than the beginners.

CONCLUSION

To facilitate a successful learning experience, international nursing students require a sufficient level of competence in the native language when conducting clinical placements. Educational interventions in language education are required to test causal effects on students' success in the clinical learning environment.

Mentor experiences of international healthcare students' learning in a clinical environment: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Globalisation has brought new possibilities for international growth in education and professional mobility among healthcare professionals. There has been a noticeable increase of international degree programmes in non-English speaking countries in Europe, creating clinical learning challenges for healthcare students.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this systematic review was to describe mentors' experiences of international healthcare students' learning in a clinical environment. The objective of the review was to identify what influences the success or failure of mentoring international healthcare students when learning in the clinical environment, with the ultimate aim being to promote optimal mentoring practice.

DESIGN

A systematic review was conducted according to the guidelines of the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination.

DATA SOURCES

Seven electronic databases were used to search for the published results of previous research: CINAHL, Medline Ovid, Scopus, the Web of Science, Academic Search Premiere, Eric, and the Cochrane Library.

REVIEW METHODS

Search inclusion criteria were planned in the PICOS review format by including peer-reviewed articles published in any language between 2000 and 2014. Five peer-reviewed articles remained after the screening process. The results of the original studies were analysed using a thematic synthesis.

RESULTS

The results indicate that a positive intercultural mentor enhanced reciprocal learning by improving the experience of international healthcare students and reducing stress in the clinical environment. Integrating international healthcare students into work with domestic students was seen to be important for reciprocal learning and the avoidance of discrimination.

CONCLUSION

Many healthcare students were found to share similar experiences of mentoring and learning irrespective of their cultural background. However, the role of a positive intercultural mentor was found to make a significant difference for international students: such mentors advocated and mediated cultural differences and created a welcoming environment for international students by helping to minimise feelings of social isolation.

A workshop report on promoting HIV/AIDS understanding through a capacity building train-the-trainer educational intervention

Nursing educators are frequently confronted with challenges that bring about innovation and transition to new ways of transferring knowledge in their home environments. These challenges are magnified when approached from an international perspective. Optimal implementation of knowledge transfer incorporates choosing models that promote local initiatives in line with increasingly decentralized educational structures. These decentralized models are a means to foster ongoing participation for both educators and students in their own professional development. Innovative education stems from creativity in approaching the need with formats and activities to meet a specific challenge. This experimental study builds upon previous study by the authors which was conducted in March, 2009, based upon the qualitative open focus forum at each of the five nursing programs. Overwhelmingly, the Cameroonian nursing students expressed a keen desire to study the HIV infected pregnant woman and the feeding options of the newborn. The study team developed the train-the-trainer program which was delivered at the University of Buea in the Southwest region of Cameroon in March, 2011. TTT is particularly effective for reaching large audiences and also permits a degree of sustainability such that the Cameroonian students will be trainers for subsequent cohorts of their peers. This study continues to strengthen the collaborative endeavors between the two nursing schools; the University of Buea (UB) and Goldfarb School of Nursing (GSON) at Barnes Jewish College in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA. The final aim of the intervention was the initiation of collaborative relationships between the faculty members of the two educational organizations.

An exploratory survey of Spanish and English nursing students' views on studying or working abroad

BACKGROUND

Student mobility within Europe is encouraged by the EU's 'Bologna process' and financially supported by the Socrates programme. However, relatively few UK nursing students travel to Europe for study.

AIMS

To compare the willingness to study or work abroad and the perceived barriers and benefits of doing so, amongst students in England and Spain.

METHODS

Third year nursing students completed a 15 item questionnaire on work and study abroad.

RESULTS

Spanish students were younger than UK students, had fewer family commitments, and better language skills. There was little difference between Spanish and UK students in wanting to study abroad, UK students named English speaking countries as likely destinations. Spanish students named Italy; the UK and USA were also popular. Perceived barriers for UK students were funding, family, and language. Family commitments were not a major problem for Spanish students. Spanish were more likely than English students to see language as a problem.

CONCLUSIONS

UK and Spanish Nursing students are equally enthusiastic about studying or working abroad but UK students have limited language skills, are less able to access Socrates funding for European destinations, and given their age and family commitments, funding is a barrier for 'non-Socrates' destinations.

Experiences of teaching nursing in four countries

This article presents reflections on personal experiences of teaching nursing in the United Kingdom, Ghana, Uganda, and South Africa. The experiences related focus on differences and similarities in institutional cultures, teaching strategies, categories of students, students' expectations, and learning opportunities. The four institutions could be described as different; yet because of the hierarchical nature of the nursing profession, even within the training or university settings, a new staff member regardless of his/her qualifications and experiences is frequently relegated to the level of a novice. Discussions on some of the challenges facing Ghana and Uganda nursing training institutions and suggestions on possible approaches to address those challenges are presented.

Teaching and learning about culture: a European journey

This paper explores the evolving nature of an understanding of culture through attendance on an Intensive Programme (IP) funded by ERASMUS-SOCRATES.

AIMS

The purpose of this paper is to report a journey of learning about culture through attendance on a ERASMUS-SOCRATES funded Intensive Programme (IP) for nurses in Hasselt, Belgium.

METHOD

This paper seeks to describe the process and experience of our involvement through an examination of the authors' participation as teachers and students. This was undertaken using serial taped group and individual interviews. The metaphor of the IP as a journey is described and used as the vehicle for data collection and analysis.

FINDINGS

The key findings were the development of key themes relating to: Personal Values and Culture, Engagement and Culture, Personality and Culture and Physicality and Culture. Discussion of these findings raises issues of language and language skill, communication and listening skills, stereotyping, personal awareness, cultural awareness, sensitivity and competence.

CONCLUSIONS

It is proposed that direct engagement through programmes, such as the reported IP, with other nurses and nurse educationalists in Europe is an essential part of any modern nursing curriculum and aids the development of internationalisation. Without such direct engagement there is potential for a narrower, limited view of culture and a lack of sensitivity in understanding our own and other cultures.

International nursing research and educational exchanges: A review of the literature

For more than 40 years, nurses have been involved in international programs and networks established to strengthen nursing education and research in developed and developing countries. After discussing international educational and research exchanges at the American Academy of Nursing's International Expert Panel, we reviewed the state of the literature about these collaborations to evaluate the results. MEDLINE and CINAHL were searched for papers between 1982-2003 on international nursing education exchange programs. The 79 papers identified and reviewed included, primarily, descriptions of or experiences with the exchanges. Most were written by faculty, even though most exchanges were for students. Most papers were written by persons from only one side of the exchange. Literature on this topic needs to begin including a theoretical basis and review of the literature; more research on and evaluation of the effects of these programs is needed.