Relationships with undergraduate nursing exchange students--a tutor perspective

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Intercultural Communication
• International Student Exchange

Background:

• Student exchange is increasingly utilized in European nursing education to foster intercultural sensitivity.
• Personal tutors are assigned to foreign students in host countries to support their learning experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the tutor-student relationships from the perspective of Finnish nurse teachers and British exchange students.
• To explore the dynamics of academic support provided during international nursing student exchanges.

Main Methods:

• Ethnographic data collection including observations, research diaries, interviews, and questionnaires.
• Analysis using Spradley's developmental research sequence method for ethnographic data.
• Ethical considerations arising from the researcher's close relationship with participants were discussed.

Main Results:

• Tutoring relationships were primarily pastoral and clinical, crucial for student adjustment to foreign study environments.
• Tutors faced challenges in fully supporting students through culture shock and role uncertainty.
• Tutors found their role pleasant but did not extensively integrate host culture into academic theory.

Conclusions:

• A dialogic approach in tutor-student relationships is vital for developing intercultural sensitivity in nursing students.
• Developing effective tutoring strategies is essential to aid student adjustment to host cultures and encourage reflection on cultural knowledge.
• Further development of tutoring strategies can enhance the academic and personal growth of students studying abroad.