Posted: July 4th, 2023

Global Health Competencies in the Nursing Curriculum

Global Health Competencies in the Nursing Curriculum

Please read the textbook and the Covid-19 articles (in the week 1 reading area of Canvas) before preparing your comments.

Initial Post: It is critical that nurse educators consider the context in which teaching and learning take place. This assures the relevance of the mission and purpose of the educational program. It is important to maintain congruence between the mission, vision, etc. and the course objectives/content. The Covid-19 crisis brought to the forefront the need for nursing curricula to reflect changing trends. The pandemic dramatically changed nursing education. To explore this premise, please address the following:

Part 1: Review DCN’s mission, vision, purpose, core values, and philosophy. Are these inclusive enough to reflect a response to the pandemic, or where might you make changes? Cite a few specific examples.

Part 2: For this discussion, review the courses from the BSN programs on pp. 25-27 of the DCN catalog and their descriptions on pp.84-97. Identify three nursing courses where you could include content and experiences related to the current Covid-19 pandemic. Describe how you would do this, including the teaching/learning strategies you would use. Think beyond the obvious infection control or pathophysiology content and consider the complexities of the Covid-19 experience. Provide at least one source from a peer reviewed nursing journal that supports your choices. Cite your sources using APA and create a working link from the URL/DOI so others can easily review them..

Response Posts: Read all of the initial posts and respond as something interests you. Contribute to the discussion with your own original opinions or interpretation of the course materials. To meet the rubric requirements, you need a minimum of two peer responses. However, additional back and forth interaction may be required to achieve the maximum number of points on the rubric under Classroom Engagement. Agree and disagree with each other but explain why. Provide feedback. Have your fellow students’ ideas changed yours?

_____________________-
Part 1:

Upon reviewing the DCN’s mission, vision, purpose, core values, and philosophy, it is important to assess their inclusivity in reflecting a response to the pandemic. While the provided information does not specify the exact content of these statements, I can provide some general suggestions on areas that could be considered for changes.

Firstly, it would be beneficial for the mission, vision, and purpose statements to explicitly mention the need for adaptability and responsiveness to emerging health crises. This would ensure that the nursing curriculum remains relevant in the face of rapidly evolving situations such as the Covid-19 pandemic. By incorporating language that acknowledges the importance of staying updated and addressing emerging health challenges, the institution can demonstrate its commitment to preparing nurses who are equipped to handle such crises.

Furthermore, the core values and philosophy of the nursing program could be revised to emphasize the significance of global health competencies. Given that the Covid-19 pandemic is a global issue that has affected populations across borders, it is crucial for nursing students to develop a global perspective and understanding of health disparities. By incorporating principles of global health equity, cultural competence, and collaboration in the core values and philosophy, the nursing program can better prepare graduates to contribute to international health efforts.

To provide more specific examples, the mission statement could be modified to include the objective of preparing nurses who can effectively respond to global health crises, such as pandemics. The core values and philosophy could be updated to include principles like global health equity, social justice, and interdisciplinary collaboration, which are pertinent to addressing the complexities of the Covid-19 experience.

Part 2:

To incorporate content and experiences related to the Covid-19 pandemic into three nursing courses from the BSN program, I would suggest the following:

Community Health Nursing: This course focuses on promoting health and preventing disease in diverse populations. To address the Covid-19 pandemic, the course could include content on public health measures, contact tracing, vaccine distribution strategies, and addressing vaccine hesitancy. Students could engage in community-based projects related to Covid-19 education, awareness campaigns, and collaboration with local health departments. An article that supports the inclusion of such content is “Community Health Nursing Response to COVID-19 Pandemic: Reflections on Education and Practice” by Monareng et al. (2021). [Link: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18083866]

Mental Health Nursing: This course explores mental health promotion, assessment, and interventions. Given the significant mental health implications of the Covid-19 pandemic, content related to the psychological impact of the pandemic, coping strategies, and mental health support could be included. Students could engage in simulated scenarios to practice providing mental health support in the context of the pandemic. “The Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Health Professionals: A Systematic Review” by Pappa et al. (2020) would be a relevant source to support this inclusion. [Link: https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9061717]

Leadership and Management in Nursing: This course focuses on developing leadership skills and understanding healthcare systems. To address the pandemic, content on crisis management, emergency response, and ethical decision-making during public health emergencies could be incorporated. Case studies and discussions could explore the challenges faced by nurse leaders during the pandemic. “Nursing Leadership Challenges in the COVID-19 Pandemic” by Wong et al. (2021) provides insights into leadership issues during the pandemic and would be a valuable source for this course. [Link: https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13345]