Abstract:

The context of nursing education has evolved over the last decade in a variety of ways. Students and educators are expected to embrace the benefits and uses of technology in the teaching and learning environment and from a nursing context continue to practice within an ethical lens while attending to professional competencies. The fine line between ethical behavior, specifically as it relates to patient confidentiality, and technology mediated communication and operations are paramount for ethical practice. In British Columbia, Canada, educators and students are encouraged to utilize educational technologies to apply knowledge to new situations, analyze information, collaborate, solve problems, and make decisions (https://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/dist_learning/21century_learning.htm). The use of these technologies can be altered when students experience international nursing field schools.

The context of international practice is unique in both student experience and the educator role. The focus of the 3rd year consolidated practice experience in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program in Kamloops, Canada, relates to the impact of culture on a person’s health and healing and developing students in a way that enhances their ability to understand and practice in a culturally safe manner. Nursing students are expected to separate from their usual patterns of technology use while they are immersed in the cultural experience. For some students this change in technology use proves to be difficult and faculty support is integral to the student’s adaptation. The process of supporting students to disengage from technology while in the host country, understand the ethical implications for its use, and to re-engage professionally in its use upon return will be discussed in this presentation.