[Knowledge transfer and appropriation processes of nursing students and African settings of care: a multiple case study]. / Processus de transfert et d'appropriation des savoirs d'étudiantes en sciences infirmières et de milieux de soins Africains: une étude de cas multiples.

BACKGROUND: in this era of globalisation and international academic training, many nursing programs offer the possibility of intercultural placement to their students in their initial training. The rise of this phenomena is ubiquitous throughout all Canadian universities, leading to increased student mobility at the international level with increased placements being organised at the international level, on several continents. PURPOSE: this exploratory study aims at better understanding the processes of knowledge transfer and appropriation during international and intercultural placements in nursing in African countries. FRAMEWORK: the models of empowerment and the Cycle of knowledge to practice have guided this study. METHOD: a multiple case study has been conducted with six settings of care from two countries of Africa. Individual interviews were conducted with the nursing students (n = 11) and with the African nurses supervisors (n = 9), and group interviews with the local partners (n = 2). Direct and participant observations were also done by the nursing students while they were in Africa in the summer and by the two principal investigators when they spent a week in the settings of care, the following fall. RESULTS : advantages of this learning activity were noted, especially in regards to personal and professional growth of the nursing students and in regards to knowledge transfer to the host settings. DISCUSSION : four themes emerged and led to recommendations as to the importance of: 1) bidirectional communication, continuity of projects between cohorts of nurses, and support at distance and on site, 2) reinforcement of the emancipatory sociopolitical knowing 3) diversity of care and community sites and expositions, and 4) different phases of the Cycle of knowledge to practice.

Knowledge mobilized by a critical thinking process deployed by nursing students in practical care situations: a qualitative study.

AIM: This paper is a report of a qualitative study of mobilization of knowledge within the critical thinking process deployed by female undergraduate nursing students in practical care situations. BACKGROUND: Holistic practice is based on variety of knowledge mobilized by a critical thinking process. Novices and, more specifically, students experience many difficulties in this regard. Therefore, a better understanding of the knowledge they mobilize in their practice is important for nurse educators. DESIGN: A qualitative study, guided by grounded theory, was carried out. Sixteen nursing students, registered in an undergraduate programme in an Eastern Canadian university, were recruited. Descriptions of practical care situations were obtained through explicitation interviews in 2007. A sociodemographic questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and field notes were also used. Data were analysed using an approach based on grounded theory. An additional stage of analysis involved data condensation. FINDINGS: Various types of knowledge guide nursing students' practice. These include intrapersonal, interpersonal, perceptual, moral/ethical, experiential, practical, scientific and contextual knowledge. The mobilization of these types of knowledge is only possible when the process of critical thinking has attained a higher level, giving rise to a new knowledge that we have termed combinational constructive knowledge rather than aesthetic knowledge. CONCLUSION: Clarification of the types of knowledge guiding the practice of student nurses and of the role of critical thinking in their mobilization could lead to innovative educational strategies. The findings provide guidance for the revision and development of both academic and clinical training programmes.