Measuring professional nursing value development in students participating in international service learning: A...

International service learning is becoming widely used in nursing education as a means to provide global learning opportunities as well as part of a clinical learning experiences. Concrete outcomes for these experiences have not been clearly supported in previous research. Professional nursing values are an important learning outcome for nursing students and development of professional nursing values has been found to occur through various learning experiences. Determining if international service learning experiences facilitate the development of professional nursing values can support the use of international service learning as a viable pedagogy.

The purpose of the study was to determine if there was a difference in professional nursing values development in students who participate in international service learning as part of their clinical experiences compared to those who do not.

The research was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test, post-test design.

Undergraduate students participating in one week international service learning as part of their clinical hours were compared with students who did not participate in international service learning.

Comparison of professional nursing values development between the experimental and control group was completed using the Nurses Professional Values Scale.

The study showed the use of international service learning as part of clinical was at least equivalent in the development of professional nursing values as traditional clinical. In addition, it supported the development of professional nursing values through clinical learning overall.

The use of international service learning is a viable option for clinical experiences as a means to develop professional nursing values.