Globally Networked Learning (GNL): Linking Canadian and
Danish Nursing Students
May 29, 2018
Jacqueline Limoges PhD RN Kirsten Nielsen PhD RN Lesley MacMaster, MScN RN
Randi Kontni MScH & E RN
Denmark Overview
Population 5.7 million people Capital city: Copenhagen Holstebro: 36,000 citizens
3
Background
• Calls for education to develop culturally safe nursing care
Intercultural learning
CASN Standards 50% of students to have an
international learning
opportunity by 2020
Objectives of the Presentation
• Examine Globally Networked Learning (GNL) strategies used by a
Canadian and Danish BScN program to offer an intercultural learning assignment without the need to leave home.
• Discuss the student experience with GNL
• Consider how GNL can be implemented on a on a larger scale through
discussions with Canadian and Danish nursing faculty presenters.
Ethics
• Georgian Research Ethics Board Approval
• Approval from the Danish and the European General Data Protection
Regulation
• The assignment was created by the Danish and Canadian faculty to align with the course learning objectives and nursing theories
orienting the course.
• Situated the assignment in a med/surg year two course.
• Due dates were collaboratively negotiated given the two different
semester systems.
Process
• Students volunteered
• Faculty placed students into groups of four (2 Danish and 2 Canadian)
• Students completed the project using the assignment due dates as a guide and also by negotiating with their course schedules.
• Students linked using Facebook, Google Docs, Skype and Email.
Participants in the research
Fall 2017: 1
stmini pilot project:
(8) 6 students
Winter 2018: 2nd pilot project:
16 students
2 Danish & 2 Canadian students/group
• Interviews & reflections (to date)
• 6 Canadian students &
• 4 Danish students Model photos
General findings from the students about their experiences with GNL
• “I like to do things that are out of the norm” (C02, D01, D03)
• “I feel like [participating in GNL] has put me a foot forward in my learning. I am able to say now, I wrote a paper with students in
Denmark, I have been through the process, I put the work in” (C02)
• “Also the fact that GNL will be noted on my diploma is an advantage.
Later on in the programme, I want to study abroad, so this is a kind of
preparation” (D01)
The Global Reach of the Nursing Community
“It really starts to bring home that we are a community no matter where you are, and that as nurses, we can always help each other grow. We can always work as nurses and identify things that we can do better. You
really start to understand how much nursing is about one big huge family”
(C01)
“[Nursing] practice is becoming more and more international as more and more people are coming to Denmark from other countries. Maybe once, you will work as a nurse in another country, so you can always use [what you learned from the assignment].
[Nursing] is practiced across cultures and countries” (D03]
”Indeed, our understanding of nursing has been extended”
(D02)
Step 1 – Comparing and contrasting the lived experience
Learning from the experience of others in a different country reinforces messages about the human experience of health and illness and how nursing can support wellness
“Even while I was doing the project, it made me look at my patients
differently and … realize that there is a lot more going on than just
them now in the hospital” (C05)
“It really made me reflect on the
way we treat our patients … while
much is similar, the way we see
the whole patient is a little bit
different than in Canada … we
focus more on each individual
patient” (D01)
Step 2: Comparing and contrasting the health system – taking the best from
each country… “To them, it just seems normal to have someone at home, but for us, it is
more focused on the acute care” (C03)
“I can see that Canada is good, but I found Denmark really went forward and they
have done more with… handling primary prevention. And it makes me realize how much healthcare can be improved.
Learning from other countries can take us in that direction.” (C02)
“In Canada, the public coverage depends on your income, age and if you receive social assistance and where in Canada you live. In Denmark, the coverage is the same all over the country … As long as you pay taxes on your income and have a legal residence in Denmark you get this for free”
(D02 & D04 from reflection paper)
Step 3 – Deciding upon a culturally appropriate nursing strategies that would work in both countries
“In Canada, medication and hospitalization were the only
methods she was using to cope with COPD. Whereas in Denmark, the
patient was using YouTube, he was doing a diet, exercise, he just had more variety in what he was doing”
(C04)
“We agreed that applying the
Advanced Practice Clinical Leadership Nurse role for lung cancer patients would help relieve excessive stress, enhance care provided, and give rise to more patient autonomy” (D01 &
D03 reflection paper)
Step 4 Reflection – using this
knowledge for practice in the future
“making sure that I take those
moments to really talk to my patients to see what is going on with them”
(C01)
”Cooperation across the countries was exciting as I didn´t know much of Canada before I got to know the
Canadian students” (D02)
“Nurses have a great influence on patients’ health … we have an
obligation to support people to live in a healthy way, how we can promote
health and prevent diseases” (D01)
“I really like that I was able to make a connection in another part of the
world” (C05)
Learning outcomes and conclusions
• The students enjoyed the opportunity to work in a group to enhance their
organizational and collaborative writing skills and hone research utilization.
• When explaining nursing theory &
practice to someone from another country, you need to understand it quite deeply and thus the learning outcome increased.
• Students see GNL as a strategy that is accessible and provides an inter-
cultural experience.
• The time zones and different
semester structures were minor challenges to overcome.
• Students were enthusiastic
about their learning experiences
and recommended we continue
to offer this opportunity.
References
Bohman, D., & Borglin, G. (2014). Student exchange for nursing students: Does it raise awareness? A descriptive, qualitative study. Nurse Education in Practice, 14, 259-264.
Carlson, E., Stenberg, M., Chan, B., Ho, S., Lai, T., Wong, A., & Chan, E. (2017). Nursing as universal and recognizable: Nursing students’
perceptions of learning outcomes from intercultural peer learning webinars: A qualitative study. Nurse Education Today, 57, 54– 59.
Chan, E., & Nyback, M. (2015). A virtual caravan – A metaphor for home-internationalization through social media: A qualitative content analysis. Nurse Education Today, 35, 828-832.
Chen, H., Jensen, F., Measom, G., Bennett, S., Nichols, N., Wiggins, L., & Anderton, A. (2017). Factors influencing the development of cultural competence and undergraduate nursing students, 57(1), 40-43. Doi: 10.3928/0148434-20180102-08
Davies, S., Lewis, A., Anderson, A., & Bernstein, E. (2015). The development of intercultural competency in school psychology graduate students. School Psychology International, 36(4), 375 – 392. Doi: http:/dx.doi.org/10.1177/0143034315592664.
De, D., & Richardson, J. (2015). Ensuring cultural safety in nursing education. Nursing Times, 111(39). 17-19.
Doutrich, D., Dekker, L., Spuck, J., & Hoeksel, R. (2014). Identity, ethics and cultural safety: Strategies for change. Whitireia Nursing and Health Journal, 21, 15 – 21.
Garone, A., & Van de Craen, P. (2017). The role of language skills and internationalization in nursing degree programmes: A literature review.
Nurse Education Today, 49, 140–144. doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2016.11.012
Garrett, B., & Cutting, R. (2012). Using social media to promote international student partnerships. Nurse Education in Practice, 12, 340-345.
References continued
Hermansen, M. (2003) Omlæring [Relearning] Klim (This is a Danish publication)
Iwasiw, C., Andrusyszyn, C., Moen, A., Østbye, T., Davie, L., Støvring, T., & Buckland-Foster, I. (2000), 39(2), 81-86.
Kokko, R. (2011). Future nurses’ cultural competencies: What are their learning experiences during exchange and studies abroad? A systematic literature review. Journal of Nursing Management, 19, 673-682.
Leask, B. (2004). Internationalization outcomes for all students using information and communication technologies (ICT). Journal of Studies in International Education, 8(4), 336 – 351. Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1028315303261778.
Scheel, M.E., Pedersen, B.D., Rosenkrands, V. (2008) Interactional nursing a practice-theory in the dynamic field between the natural, human and social sciences. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 22(4), 629-639.
Schön, D (1987) Educating the Reflective Practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
O’Dowd, R. (2007). Evaluating the outcomes of online intercultural exchange. ELT Journal, 6(1), 144 – 152
Philips, L., Blum, T., Gainey, T., & Chiocca, M. (2017). Influence of short-term study abroad experiences and community health baccalaureate students. Journal of Nursing Education, 56(9), 528-533.
Sherwood, G., & Horton-Deutsch, S. (2012). Reflective practice. Transforming education and improving outcomes. Sigma Theta Tau International. Honor Society of Nursing.
Strickland, K., Adamson, E., McInally, W., Tiittanen, H., & Metcalf, S. (2013). Developing global citizenship online: An authentic alternative to overseas clinical placement. Nurse Education Today, 33, 1160 – 1165.
Van Manen, M. (2014). Phenomenology of practice: Meaning-giving methods in phenomenological research and writing. Routledge: New York.
Differences in Structure of the Semesters
Canada
Denmark
wee ks
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Ex am ina tio n
Ex am ina tio n
Ex am ina tio n
