Linking public health nursing competencies and service-learning in a global setting

Nurse educators in baccalaureate programs are charged with addressing student competence in public health nursing practice. These educators are also responsible for creating nursing student opportunities for civic engagement and development of critical thinking skills. The IOM report (2010) on the Future of Nursing emphasizes the nurse educator's role in promoting collaborative partnerships that incorporate interdisciplinary and intraprofessional efforts to promote health.

The purpose of this article is to describe an innovative approach to address public health nursing competencies and to improve the health and well-being of indigenous populations in a global setting through promotion of collaboration and service- learning principles.

As part of a hybrid elective course, baccalaureate nursing students from various nursing tracks participated in a 2 week immersion experience in Belize that included preimmersion preparation. These students were to collaborate among themselves and with Belizean communities to address identified health knowledge deficits and health-related needs for school-aged children and adult populations.

Students successfully collaborated in order to meet health-related needs and to engage in health promotion activities in the Toledo district of Belize. They also gained practice in developing public health nursing competencies for entry-level nursing practice. Implementation of service-learning principles provided students with opportunities for civic engagement and self-reflection.

Some challenges existed from the students', faculty, and global community's perspectives. Lack of culturally appropriate and country specific health education materials was difficult for students and the community. Faculty encountered challenges in communicating and collaborating with the Belizean partners.

Commonalities exist between entry-level public health nursing competencies and service-learning principles. Using service-learning principles in the development of public health experiences increases the likelihood of success in achieving these competencies. While students demonstrated intraprofessional collaboration in a global setting, these same collaborative opportunities can occur in local communities.