Enabling nursing students to focus on the Ottawa Charter and the nurses role in tackling inequalities in health through international exchange

Aarts, C.; Nordstrom, P.M.; Koskinen, L.; Juhansoo, T.; Mitchell, M.P.; Marquis, F.; Chassé, F.; Critchley, K.; Campbell, B.; Hemingway, A.

doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2009.10.005

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Volume 30, Issue 5 , Pages 448-452, July 2010

Enabling nursing students to focus on the Ottawa Charter and the nurses role in tackling inequalities in health through international exchange

C. Aarts
- Uppsala University, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Döbelnsgatan 2, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
- Tel.: +46 (0) 18 471 66 11, +46 (0) 70 57 53 351(M).
P.M. Nordstrom
- School of Nursing, Mount Royal College, 4825 Mount Royal Gate, SW Calgary, AB, Canada T3E 6K6
- Tel.: +1 403 440 6549; fax: +1 403 440 5033.
L. Koskinen
- Savonia University of Applied Sciences, School of Health, PL 1028, 70111 Kuopio, Finland
- Tel.: +358 17 255 6463.
T. Juhansoo
- Development and Foreign Relations, Tallinn Health College, Kännu 67, 3418 Tallinn, Estonia
- Tel.: +372 5164866; fax: +372 6711710.
M.P. Mitchell
- School of Nursing, Mount Royal College, 4825 Mount Royal Gate, SW Calgary, AB, Canada T3E 6K6
- Tel.: +1 403 440 6073; fax: +1 403 440 6203.
F. Marquis
- Université de Moncton School of Nursing, Edmundston Campus, 165 Hebert Boulevard, Edmundston, NB, Canada E3V 2S8
- Tel.: +1 506 737 5145; fax: +1 506 737 5373.
F. Chassé
- Université de Moncton School of Nursing, Edmundston Campus, 165 Hebert Boulevard, Edmundston, NB, Canada E3V 2S8
- Tel.: +1 506 737 5145; fax: +1 506 737 5373.
K. Critchley
- University of Prince Edward Island, School of Nursing, 108 Steel, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PE, Canada C1A 4P3
- Tel.: +1 902 628 4300; fax: +1 902 566 0777.
B. Campbell
- University of Prince Edward Island, School of Nursing, 108 Steel, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PE, Canada C1A 4P3
- Tel.: +1 902 566 0743; fax: +1 902 894 2889.
A. Hemingway
- Bournemouth University, School of Health and Social Care, IHCS 1st Floor Royal London House, Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, Dorset BH1 3LT, UK
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 1202 962796; fax: +44 1202 962194.

Accepted 12 October 2009. published online 07 June 2010.

Summary

Student nurses in a transatlantic exchange program explored the role of registered nurses in five countries’ public health systems. The Ottawa Charter provided a framework for students to examine the nurse’s responsibilities in public health. Students took practice placements in geographically rural areas on another continent and explored inequalities in health care. If nurses are to understand their role in the health care system then they must be taught the scope of their practice including their role in health promotion, public health practice and community development. For this project nursing instructors developed an assignment relevant to the aims and suitable for students in all five nursing programs. Only three of 48 students offered an assignment which focused on building healthy public policy. Nurse educators need to explore this further to ensure nurses of the future are aware of their role and responsibilities in this area and have skills to work effectively to influence and build healthy policy. The international student exchange supported the students’ developing understanding of the breadth of initiatives around the globe where nurses are actively engaged in addressing inequalities of health. Findings from an analysis of their assignments are presented in this evaluative report.

Keywords: Ottawa Charter, Health inequalities, Curriculum development, Student nurses, International