Exploring the lived experience of newly licensed registered nurses enrolled in a RN-BS completion program participating in a cultural and clinical immersion experience in Senegal, west Africa
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Authors
Patenaude, Kathleen J.
Date
4/29/2014
Type
text
electronic thesis or dissertation
electronic thesis or dissertation
Language
en_US
Keywords
ethnonursing , international , cultural immersion , clinical immersion , nursing student , qualitative study
Alternative Title
Abstract
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
Description
Research priorities in nursing education include identifying education models focused on caring for diverse patient populations in various settings (NLN, n.d.). The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore, discover, and analyze the values, beliefs, and practices of newly licensed registered nurses enrolled in an RN-BS completion program participating in a cultural and clinical immersion experience in Senegal, West Africa. Leininger's Culture Care Diversity and Universality Theory, ethnonursing research method, and research enablers provided the conceptual framework for this research. A purposeful sample of six newly licensed RN-BS nursing students who chose the international cultural and clinical immersion experience participated in the study. The analysis of the data revealed three major themes: (a) experience of care or caring, (b) experience of community, and (c) experience of transformation. The results show that the participants expanded their worldview on nursing and gained the diverse perspectives of nurses from another culture. The findings from this study illustrate the value of a global learning experience and support immersion experiences as a means to prepare new nurses to care for patients from diverse populations.