By Rosemary Goodyear

Getting ready to work in international health requires some preparation. Last month we discussed finding and identifying international health organizations and learning about what they do.

Another level of preparation begins with a self-assessment of what motivates your wish to move into international work? Five themes have been found to influence people to become inspired, and to become involved; 1) Desiring training and experience within different populations; 2) Humanitarianism; 3) Response to a disaster; 4) Intellectual curiosity; and 5) Escape from a vexing life situation.¹ Once you identify what has induced this interest, a personal SWOT analysis can be carried out by identifying your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats you bring to this search. The results will provide insight into your desires and objectives and help you establish goals and direction for you international work.

Prerequisite knowledge for international involvement includes gaining an understanding of the governmental, political, economic, and cultural realities that exist in the nation you will visit. This will provide a scope of what to expect during your stay in this nation. Exploring the rules and regulations of the nursing profession in the practice field in the nation to be visited, is part of your research. This is essential prior to departure. An important step is to determine the current health care system in place in the nation/ state and its influence on the health care being provided to the citizens. This is essential knowledge for you as you plan for an international experience.

Before you can move forward with an international experience, there are personal requisites each individual must achieve and master. I call it WRAP. Wisdom, Respect, Audience, and Patience. These are the fundamentals each nurse must explore and achieve before embarking on an international healthcare experience. Wisdom must be gained through research into the nation’s history and current state of health care that exists today. Respect for each individual’s social, cultural, ethnic, and religious expression must be explored and understood prior to departure. The audience of individuals and nurses you will encounter and work with during your stay in a nation must be understood, respected and supported thought the work you carry out during your presence in the nation. Having patience for a different pace of life, business and processes is foundational to each working project when visiting the nation of assignment or selection.

Last prepare yourself to work on a mutually selected project with your host nation, where you can bring expertise, facilitate learning and growth, to reach the mutual goals of your host and yourself. Finally be prepared for a life change as an outcome of this experience.

References:

1. Basch, PF. Textbook of International Health, 2^nd Ed. Oxford Press; NY. 1999.
2. Dalmida, SG. Amerson, R. Foster, J. McWhinney-Dehaney, L. Magowe, M. Nicholas, PK. Pehrson, K. and Leffers J. Volunteer service and service learning: Opportunities, partnerships, and United Nations millennium development goals. Journal of Nursing Scholarship 2016; 48: 517-626.

By Rosemary Goodyear

Are you dreaming about working with an international nursing or healthcare organizations but don’t know what you might do or where to find out about these organizations? The good news is that nursing around the world is similar in that we care for patients who are ill and help bring them to a state of wellness again. However, nursing around the world is also different as cultures are different in different nations, and rules and regulations guiding nursing and their scope of practice vary. It is important to be aware of cultural and regulatory differences if you want to work internationally.  

If you are interested in volunteering or working in the international nursing community, there are many opportunities for connecting with agencies that can make the link. Seek out Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), religious affiliated organizations, academic institutions, and professional organizations such as Sigma Theta Tau as possibilities for making an international nursing experience a reality. Exchange programs for scholars, teachers and students, sponsored by the US government, are available through the Institute of International Education https://www.iie.org/ or the Fulbright Association http://www.cies.org/. Each website will provide information and guidance about their mission and enrollment process. Be sure you read all the options and guidelines and talk to colleagues who have participated in international experience for references and referrals. 

The next step in preparing for an international experience begins with research into the history and activities of international organizations such the UN. The United Nations, http://un.org initiated in 1945 by President F. D. Roosevelt, is the parent organization that has the goal to foster unity and cooperation among the nations around the world. The World Health Organization http://who.int is a system within the UN responsible for coordinating health care around the world. The International Council of Nurses, http://icn.ch is the oldest and largest professional organization responsible for guiding nursing throughout the globe by establishing standards and codes of practice. The ICN International Nurse Practitioner/ Advanced Practice Network (ICN INP/APN) https://www.aanp.org/international/international-nursing-network provides information on professional trends and issues regarding global nursing practice. Most nations participate as members in these organizations and often provide links to information about the nation of your interest.  

NCA can provide guidance in preparing for international nursing experience. Dr. Goodyear a Fulbright Scholar and a Fulbright Specialist in Global Health, is an expert in international program development and evaluation and is currently working with the Ministry of Health in Taiwan on a “Train the Trainer” program of caregivers of the elderly who reside in the community.