A study abroad program for Korean nursing students in the San Francisco Bay Area: A SWOT analysis

Abstract

Education in transcultural nursing care helps undergraduate nursing students develop an awareness of global health problems and improve their competency in providing nursing care to patients from diverse cultural backgrounds. For this reason, a summer study abroad program was developed for Korean undergraduate nursing students to expand their knowledge of and competency in culturally sensitive nursing care. For three consecutive years, different groups of Korean nursing students were sent to a host university in the San Francisco Bay Area to learn about health care systems and the roles of nurses in the United States. In all, 13 students participated in the program. A SWOT analysis was employed to evaluate the effectiveness of the study abroad program. For an international nursing program to be successful, it must be well-designed. Factors that affect such programs should be thoroughly investigated and, when necessary, should be revised or expanded based on the results obtained.