Gaining a global perspective on public health through an international student nurse collaboration

Abstract

Recognizing that nursing practice worldwide will be strongly influenced and shaped by new technologies and their applications, nurse educators from three countries, the United States, New Zealand and Norway collaborated and designed a learning and international networking opportunity for student nurses.  The purpose of the project was to enhance awareness of global health, increase student nurses knowledge of public health nursing practices and needs in other countries and to promote solidarity and opportunities for collaboration across boundaries. Nursing students from each country used video conferencing in small groups to meet peers virtually as part of the public health nursing component of their undergraduate course.  Experience in collaborating and increased awareness of the differences and similarities of nursing in different contexts was appreciated by the students and the recommendation is that despite some small technical and practical issues, this initiative for international collaboration between student nurses should continue, and other Schools of Nursing could follow this model.