Hendrika J Maltby1, Joy M de Vries-Erich2, Karen Lund3. 1. College of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Vermont, 106 Carrigan Drive, Rowell 208, Burlington, VT 05405, USA. Electronic address: Hendrika.Maltby@med.uvm.edu. 2. Center for Evidence Based Education, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 15, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: joy.devries@amc.uva.nl. 3. Health Sciences, International University of Business Agriculture and Technology, Bangladesh. Electronic address: lund.karen1@gmail.com.
Abstract
AIM: To understand the experience of American nursing students who complete a study abroad trip to a low-income country, Bangladesh, versus a high-income country, the Netherlands in the development of cultural consciousness. METHODS: Hermeneutic (interpretive) phenomenology was used to explore the journals of 44 students' experiences and reflections. RESULTS: The comprehensive understanding of the naïve and structural analysis revealed that, no matter where these students travelled, they increased their cultural consciousness. CONCLUSIONS: We need to revise curricula to create 'change from the familiar' experiences for all students (many cannot afford study abroad) to move students to cultural consciousness on their journey to cultural competency that may improve client health outcomes.
AIM: To understand the experience of American nursing students who complete a study abroad trip to a low-income country, Bangladesh, versus a high-income country, the Netherlands in the development of cultural consciousness. METHODS: Hermeneutic (interpretive) phenomenology was used to explore the journals of 44 students' experiences and reflections. RESULTS: The comprehensive understanding of the naïve and structural analysis revealed that, no matter where these students travelled, they increased their cultural consciousness. CONCLUSIONS: We need to revise curricula to create 'change from the familiar' experiences for all students (many cannot afford study abroad) to move students to cultural consciousness on their journey to cultural competency that may improve client health outcomes.