Value of Online Group Reflection After International Service-Learning Experiences: I Never Thought of That.

Reflection is a widely accepted learning tool and a component of competent professional practice. An exploratory descriptive study was conducted to compare the breadth and level of reflection between students engaged in individual reflection papers and students engaged in an online group reflection discussion after an international cultural immersion service-learning program. Results indicated that students participating in the online group discussion had a higher level of reflective thinking and discussed more topics in their written reflections.

Preceptorship in an international setting: Honduran nurses and American nursing working together.

An international service-learning program in a developing country that incorporates local, in-country preceptors offers a unique and valuable learning opportunity for US nursing students. Because of limited research related to the experiences of preceptors in international settings, exploring the experiences of these preceptors and their American nursing students makes a needed contribution to the literature and guides the development of international service-learning programs that meet the needs of both preceptors and students.

Development of an international interdisciplinary course: a strategy to promote cultural competence and collaboration.

Now, more than ever, nurses are practicing in settings in which cultural competence and teamwork are essential to providing quality care. The expectation that nurses provide effective care across varied population groups highlights the need for attainment of cultural competency by baccalaureate nursing graduates. Nursing programs must develop strategies to address this educational need. In this article, the authors share their experiences in the development of an international interdisciplinary course that combined academic service learning with cultural immersion to promote the development of cultural competence and collaboration among students. By developing an interdisciplinary course that is of interest to a wide range of students, faculty can be successful in providing an opportunity for students with varied career paths to be better prepared to live and work in the world's global community.

Turning the tide on medical errors in intensive care units: a human factors approach.

Errors occur in all nursing settings. The current healthcare climate tends to focus on individuals as the cause of errors rather than addressing issues that may be inherently wrong with the healthcare system that predisposes the individual to make errors. Human factors engineering (HFE), which is focused on removing human factors as much as possible from errors, has the potential to greatly impact medical errors in intensive care units. Applied in other high-risk industries, HFE has been critical in understanding and preventing errors at a systems level. Knowledge concerning the role systems play in errors and improvements to medical systems using HFE is intended to empower nurses to be advocates for systems change, resulting in a safer work environment and a safer healthcare delivery system.