Laying the Foundation for a Nursing Research Partnership between a University in Queretaro, Mexico and a College in West Michigan, United States
Faculty Mentor(s)
Professor Barbara Vincensi, Hope College
Dr. Susan Dunn, Hope College
Document Type
Poster
Publication Date
4-15-2011
Abstract
There is an increased need for nursing practice to be adapted to fit the needs of a globalized society. For nurses to effectively practice in a global society, they must possess competency in cultural care and research. It is therefore important to explore how nursing schools can strengthen cultural competency and research skills of undergraduate students. The establishment of an international collaborative nursing research program was proposed in order to meet this goal. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the potential for forming a collaborative nursing research program between a large university in Queretaro, Mexico and a small liberal arts college in West Michigan. Using a descriptive qualitative design, data was collected through interviews, focus group sessions, and clinical observations in Queretaro, Mexico and West Michigan. The perceptions of ten nursing professors, nine nursing students, and four practicing nurses were acquired during data collection. Responses were collected until saturation was met, and then categorized into five themes. The meanings of the themes were extracted and then described. Findings revealed that the identification of a common research topic of interest between both schools of nursing would be helpful in developing a collaborative nursing research program. A program proposal focusing on a research topic of common interest was then created. This study confirmed a common interest in a collaborative research program by nursing faculty and students at the university in Queretaro and the college in West Michigan. Other commonalities between the two nursing schools were identified in addition to potential challenges to forming a collaborative research program. Limitations to the study included differences in technological capabilities of the two campuses, language barriers, and some cultural differences.
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