A Cultural Immersion Experience to Enhance Nursing Students’ Appreciation and Understanding of Different Cultures

Abstract

The practice of studying abroad for professional development is not new and has been undertaken by scholars since the medieval times, however it is a relatively new endeavor in nursing education. Research has shown that cultural knowledge in nursing is extremely important and the lack of it may cause deficits in practice. The purpose of this study is a two-fold. Nursing faculty completed a literature review and sent out a self-designed 15-question survey to all nursing students registered for the travel abroad experience. This experience took place during March 14-24, 2019. The goal of this experience was professional growth and to be more culturally aware in various populations.