Innovation
Preparing Globally Aware Health Practitioners of the Future: Internationalisation of Pre-Registration Health Curricula at Northumbria University (an example from the Nursing Programme).
The recently introduced ‘Tomorrow’s Workforce’ pre-registration health curriculum incorporates a global awareness programme as a theme throughout. Key learning outcomes within this theme facilitate the development of culturally competent health practitioners who are aware of how global health issues impact upon local populations and who have the skills and knowledge to address these challenges. Several strands of activity are undertaken during the programme to facilitate students to achieve these outcomes; for example, the development of cultural sensitivity and global health elements are embedded within modules and opportunities for global learning are also identified during practice placements. The Northumbria University Global Citizenship Programme is integrated into the programme and the existing international placements programme for mobile students is incorporated as an optional ‘spoke’ placement. Additional student sharing of international experiences with non-mobile students is facilitated via a student conference event to further enable cultural awareness of contemporary global health issues; for example, students may consider how patient empowerment and expectations of partnership may vary between cultures. Similarly, global health issues such as the impact of HIV/AIDs on local populations or the prevalence of malaria in areas with limited resources may be explored.
What prompted innovation?
Internationalisation and globalisation of curricula has been an aim of the University for several years; the Northumbria University Corporate Strategy highlights the need for graduates who are globally aware and prepared for global citizenship. This drive reflects the need for higher education to become more global in its reach and is further highlighted by agreements such as the Bologna Process which, by 2020, aims to have enabled at least 20% of graduates to have undertaken study abroad during their university education (Bologna Process, 2010). In response to this, we had developed a successful student nurse mobility programme to Europe and worldwide; however, such placements whilst beneficial to students in terms of the development of cultural competence and also personal and professional development (Grant and McKenna, 2003; Button et al, 2005; Callister, 2006; & Morgan, 2012), represent only a minority of students studying on our pre-registration nursing programme. Therefore, we needed to explore ways to enhance the development of cultural competence and advancement for all our nursing students as global citizens. This is further supported by Mckimm and McLean (2011) who have identified that in response to globalisation there is a growing need to educate undergraduate health students to be socially responsible: to think globally and act locally.
References
Bologna Process. (2010). The Bologna Process. [online] http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/ (accessed 16th July 2013).
Button, L.; Green, B.; Tengnah, C.; Johansson, I. & Baker, C. (2005). The impact of international placements on nurses’ personal and professional lives: literature review. Journal of Advanced Nursing 50(3) p315-324.
Callister, L.C. (2006). Opening our hearts and minds: the meaning of international clinical nursing electives in the personal and professional lives of nurses. Nursing and Health Sciences 8 p95-102.
Grant, E. & McKenna, L. (2003). International clinical placements for undergraduate students. Journal of clinical nursing 12 p529-535.
Mckimm J, McLean M. (2011) Developing a global health practitioner; time to act? Medical teacher; 33: 626-631.
Morgan, D.A. (2012). Student nurse perceptions of risk in relation to international placements: a phenomenological research study. Nurse Education Today, 32 p956-960.
What makes innovation different?
This whole curricula approach is aimed at the development of all nursing students, internationally mobile and non-mobile, as culturally competent global citizens.
Changes in practice
The implementation of the curriculum has recently commenced and the global and cultural awareness thread is visible throughout the nursing programme. For example, a key ‘Knowledge and Understanding’ programme outcome includes that ‘students will be able to review the concept of cultural competence in healthcare from local, national and global perspectives’. An example from a year 1 module relating to Care, Compassion and Communication reflects the need for students to be able to communicate with clients who do not have English as a first language. A year 2 Public Health module encourages students to consider epidemiological, demographic data and wider health determinants (incorporating health needs assessment), in order to enable them to better meet the needs of their local populations (from any social or cultural group), whilst also understanding the contributions their own professional role may make to health. Utilisation of ‘Learning Leaders’ as part of the Global Citizenship programme is also being developed to support international exchange student nurses who come to Northumbria and a final example from year 3 of the programme demonstrates how mobile students will be facilitated, via a student conference, to share their transcultural experiences of care. This includes their direct experience of global health issues as they are experienced by the local population.
Impact
Recent NMC validation.
Dissemination
This innovation currently is being rolled out throughout the nursing programme and will continue to be shared via university networks, as other programmes – both within the Faculty and outwith – are also reviewing their approach to the development of internationalisation and global citizenship in all disciplines. For example, one contributor has recently shared this programme in group discussions at a HEA ‘Going Mobile’ workshop and both contributors have recently joined the HEA Special Interest Group for ‘Internationalisation of the Curriculum’ in which sharing of this global awareness programme is commencing via this forum and further dissemination via publication or conference will occur as the innovation proceeds.