This course is giving an international opportunity for nursing students and registered nurses to study, dialogue with, and visit nurse colleagues in three countries. Initiated through a grant funded by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education (2002-2006) - Collaborative Learning Across Borders: Partnering Nursing Students, Faculty, and Communities, this exciting option is a collaboration among six schools of nursing in Canada, México, and the U.S.

The project Collaborative Learning Across Borders: Partnering Nursing Students, Faculty and Community is a multi-dimensional program that will provide opportunities for undergraduate nursing students and registered nurses to:

• Explore the role of the nurse within each country's health-care system.
• Grow in multicultural awareness and recognition of specific health-care beliefs and values held by people from each country.
• Participate in a cultural immersion experience locally or abroad.

This course, Cultural Expeditions in Nursing:

• Focuses on multi-cultural awareness and recognition of specific health-care beliefs and values.
• Explores the role of the nurse within the health-care systems of Canada, México, and the United States of America.
• Provides opportunities for students to achieve a better understanding of cultural similarities and differences.
• Provides students with the opportunities to study the impact of family, education, religion, economics, politics, society, and community upon health-care delivery and individual patient care.
• May be taken as an elective or as a part of the undergraduate nursing curriculum (check with your nursing course instructor regarding status of courses at your university) and provides 3 hours of academic credit.
• Is delivered online as a web-enhanced course during Winter semester of 2005 and 2006.
• Course access is through the North American Mobility in Higher Education Message Board.

Textbook

• Andrews, M. & Boyle, J. (2003). Transcultural Concepts in Nursing Care. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Student Exchange

• At the end of the course, students may choose to participate in a cultural immersion experience locally or in one of the three countries - Canada, México, or the United States.
• Stipends are available to assist with international travel costs for students (check with your nursing course instructor regarding the availability at your university.)

Calendar

• Winter 2006
  Students and registered nurses take the web-enhanced course.

Canadian Partners
Dalhousie University: Course - N3080, January 3 - April 7, 2006
University of Prince Edward Island: Course - N391, January 3 -
April 6, 2006

Mexican Partners
Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León: Starts January 23;
classes end May 26; exams until June 5, 2006
Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí: Starts January 16;
ends June 2, 2006

US Partners
University of Iowa: Course - N96:186, January 17 - May 5, 2006
University of Missouri - Columbia: Course - N3006, January 17 -
May 5, 2006

• Spring/Summer 2006
  Students and registered nurses participate in a local clinical experience or in a cultural immersion experience in Canada, México, or the USA.

Dates of Exchange
(subject to change!!)

México to US
April 3 - 30, 2006

México to Canada
April 3 - 30, 2006

Canada to US
April 17 - May 5, 2006

Canada to México
May 12 - June 4, 2006

US to México
May 12 - June 4, 2006

US to Canada
May 12 - June 4, 2006