Lucindra Campbell-Law
University of St. Thomas, USA
Title: Partnering with Faith-Based Organizations to Provide International Undergraduate Nursing Clinical Experiences through Mission Trips
Biography
Biography: Lucindra Campbell-Law
Abstract
The purpose of this presentation is to discuss how mission trips in international settings, with faith-based organizations, are used to help meet the clinical needs of undergraduate nursing programs. There is a constant struggle and competition to find clinical sites for undergraduate nursing students while also meeting the obligation to expose students to the concepts of diversity and inclusivity. Taking undergraduate nursing students on mission trips can provide a solution to this dilemma. The high-impact educational practice (HIEP) concepts of diversity and global learning were integrated into the experiential learning experience by introducing a study abroad component into the nursing curriculum. Our nursing school partnered with a church-based organization that provides medical, nursing, dental, health care and humanitarian aid to medically underserved communities all over the world. Two faculty and five senior nursing students traveled with a church group to a remote underserved area in Jacmel, Haiti. Students and faculty spent seven days delivering health care to approximately 300 underserved patients. Partnering with a faith-based organization to provide the nursing care component met the clinical needs of the students, faculty, and the faith-based organization. This presentation focuses on the steps, processes, procedures, and the pros/cons of forming a collaborative relationship with a faith-based organization in order to provide (HIEP) and clinical opportunities for undergraduate nursing students.