Preparing Students for International Opportunities: Development and Delivery of an Elective Course

International health experiences are of interest to many nurse practitioner (NP) students. A number of universities and organizations offer health care service trips (aka mission trips) and longer immersion experiences. To help prepare graduate and undergraduate students for international opportunities, the Strategic Plan for the College of Nursing (CON) called for the creation of a new global health care course six years ago. In response, we developed an elective one credit course with an optional internship called “Introduction to Global Health Care.” Modules developed by Global Health Education Consortium helped us identify which key topics to cover in this survey course. We narrowed the topics to seven, each of which was assigned to a 2-hour class. The topics included: (a) anthropological insights; (b) ethics and social justice; (c) global health threats; (d) globalization’s effect on health policy, quality of care, and outcomes; (e) health systems outside the US; (f) keeping healthy away from home; and (g) the pros and cons of health care service trips. We taught the topics for which we had expertise and invited experts for the remaining topics. For example, a medical anthropologist taught anthropological insights. The course was successfully launched in 2008 and to date has been offered four semesters. Over 60 students have completed the course. Distance technology (video streaming) has been used for the synchronous classes, allowing students on a CON campus or at home to participate in learner-centered activities with speakers. Methods of evaluation for NP students have included three Wiki group assignments and a 5-page scholarly paper on a course topic applied to a country of their choice. Finally, students can complete an optional international internship that expands their knowledge and experience with global health care. Variable credit for the internship is granted depending on the experience length. Internship evaluation is based on application of the course content in journal reflections and papers. As a desired outcome of the course, attitudinal learning was reflected by this student comment, “Your class was wonderful because I felt that ideas were being shared without judgment, just to explore topics and cultures—the perfect classroom.”