A Qualitative Study of Baccalaureate Nursing Students Following an Eight-day International Cultural Experience in Tanzania: Cultural Humility as an Outcome

Abstract

Transcultural and intercultural competence through study abroad is widely recognized as a preferred teaching approach for the development of globally competent health care practitioners because of the noteworthy effects that these experiential opportunities have on students. Sparse research has been conducted to determine if controversial short-term study abroad trips of less than two weeks are achieving positive outcomes. The purpose of this interpretative qualitative study was to describe the nature and meanings of a short-term international cultural experience for U.S. nursing students that travelled to Tanzania over an 8-day period. The results indicated that the participants experienced culture shock, but they also gained in self-awareness, cultural empathy, and leadership skills. The data also revealed that for many participants, this international experience led to the development of cultural humility. Langer's theory of Mindfulness, and Campinha-Bacote's Process of Cultural Competence provided the theoretical framework for this study. This paper also discusses pedagogical approaches for short-term programs and outcomes.