Journal of Women's Health Care
Open Access
ISSN: 2167-0420
ISSN: 2167-0420
Dr. Helen Mulcahy, School of Nursing and Midwifery
Catherine McAuley School of Nursing and Midwifery, Irland
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Women’s Health Care
Abstract Background: Evidence suggests nurse educators collaborating across international boundaries and cultures can promote the exchange of knowledge and experiences and thus increase a sense of global responsibility. This initiative describes how public health nursing educators from three countries, Ireland, Zambia and Norway, work together to collaborate on educating diploma, postgraduate and master`s level public health nursing students. Aim: To promote international networking and to enhance awareness of global health and public health nursing practices in different contexts. Methods: The initiative began with an Erasmus exchange from Norway to Ireland by one the authors (AC) in 2012 and has blossomed since then. Teaching exchanges and publications already completed seek to understand public health nursing concerns across boundaries and increase awareness of how health and well-being are understood in different contexts. Results: Working across international boundaries and cultures promotes the exchange of knowledge and increase a sense of global responsibility and solidarity. Reciprocal Erasmus staff training visits and joint publications have been achieved. Planning is ongoing to support Erasmus exchange of nursing and public health student nurses between Ireland and Norway. Online learning opportunities are proposed for 2019, linked to specific content, such as cultural awareness, ethics, evidence-based practice and having a global perspective. Conclusion: The three institutions are currently processing interinstitutional agreements and are continuing visits and research collaboration. International networking and collaboration among nurse educators enhances existing programme. Ultimately, the initiative contributes to understanding health from a global perspective.
Helen is College Lecturer and former Coordinator of the Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health Nursing in the Catherine McAuley School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork. She teaches primary health care, public health nursing, child health and development and nursing research. She is coordinator of the BSc Nursing Studies programme. Her area of teaching and research expertise includes Nurse/ client relationships; working with vulnerable families; breastfeeding support; Public Health Nursing, child health and parental concern. Helen completed a Doctor of Nursing (DN) degree in UCC and her study was entitled: Parents’ experiences of child growth and development concerns: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.