Learning Experiences of Nurses as Part of a European Union Project on Complementary Therapies: A Multinational Qualitative Study

The experiences of nurses who studied abroad with The Erasmus program during undergraduate education: A qualitative study

The globalization of healthcare systems and information has increased the importance of international learning and mobility programs in nursing education. This research aimed to explore and describe the lived experiences of nurses studying abroad with the Erasmus program during their undergraduate education. This is a descriptive phenomenological study. The study sample consisted of 12 nurses who studied abroad during their undergraduate education. The data were collected through semi-structured, face to face in-depth interviews. Colaizzi's seven-step method and NVivo12 software were used to evaluate the data. The study results had five main themes: (1) adaptation process, (2) sources of support, (3) differences, (4) difficulties, and (5) benefits. The nurses considered studying abroad with the Erasmus program as an important opportunity. They reported that this experience made significant positive contributions to them in the personal, professional, cultural, and social aspects.

European Union Project 'BestCARE': improving nursing care with best complementary therapy strategies

AIM

This paper introduces the study on the European Union Project on complementary therapies and discusses project outputs and results. The goal of the European Union Project was to improve the professional knowledge and skills of women's health and oncology nurses regarding CT.

BACKGROUND

The increasing and widespread use of complementary therapies in the women's health and oncology population requires nurses to be educated about their suitable and safe use. Many nurses do not have proper training in complementary therapies and therefore should not inform their patients about them.

METHODS

The 'Improving the Nursing Care with Best Complementary Therapy Strategies Based on European Union Standards' (BestCARE) project was a strategic partnership within Erasmus plus for vocational education and training. The BestCARE project was coordinated by the Akdeniz University Nursing Faculty and was carried out with six partners from Turkey and Europe.

RESULTS

Fifteen nurses from Turkey and Italy were trained in complementary therapies in England. In addition, training courses and seminars were held in Turkey and Italy for women's health and oncology nurses. The BestCARE programme consisted of 14 work packages. The BestCARE programme was implemented via websites, an e-learning training programme, training videos, reference and handbook, a curriculum proposal on complementary therapies and a simulation laboratory.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND/OR HEALTH POLICY

The BestCARE project allowed nurses to gain knowledge, experience and skills about complementary therapies and created a cultural awareness and sensitivity towards patients, caregivers and health professionals.