American nursing students experience shock during a short-term international program

When individuals plan to travel internationally, they frequently assume that they will have an enjoyable and memorable experience. But for some, the effects of culture shock may negatively impact their travels and memories. The purpose of this study was to describe culture shock as reported by student nurses who took part in an international short-term program. A phenomenological approach was utilized to elicit the essence of meaning attached to the experience. Eight student nurses in an upper Midwestern university, participated in this international experience. It was concluded that all of the student nurses experienced culture shock to a varying degree and they had varying perceptions of their experiences.