Using technology to promote cross-cultural professional growth

Groups of BSN students from IUBAT and Vancouver’s Langara College participated in a web discussion during Fall 2008 and Summer 2009. This spring Pat Woods, a Langara College faculty member, presented the results of this project to the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing. The purpose of the student activity was to promote professional growth and to increase cross cultural understanding of nursing and health care in another country.  Students discussed professional development topics such as nurses’ roles, working conditions and social status. Langara students with family connections in China, India or the Philippines reflected on the attitudes of their relatives towards nursing. One IUBAT student stated, “…when I got to know the reality in other developed country on improvement of nursing gradually,  I also feel I can do something to change the status of nursing in my country – Nepal.” A Canadian student commented, “This will make me more culturally aware of my patients, as they may view my role as a nurse differently than someone [born] in Canada would.”