The provision of assistance to a person or persons in order to improve health or situation to a level conducive for life.
Published in Chapter:
International Healthcare Experiences: Caring While Learning and Learning While Caring
Jon P. Wietholter (West Virginia University, USA), Renier Coetzee (University of the Western Cape, South Africa), Beth Nardella (West Virginia University, USA), Scott E. Kincaid (University of Kentucky Healthcare, USA), and Douglas Slain (West Virginia University, USA)
Copyright: © 2016
|Pages: 27
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-0169-5.ch019
Abstract
International Healthcare Experiences (IHEs) provide opportunities for students to experience healthcare in unfamiliar and sometimes challenging settings. Types of IHEs include acute care, ambulatory care, and medical missions. Students have reported multiple benefits through completion of IHEs including increased personal and professional development, increased cultural sensitivity, and increased self-awareness and self-confidence. While many benefits have been noted, there are also challenges in developing, implementing, and sustaining IHEs including financial considerations, safety concerns, and apprehensions regarding the impact the IHE is having on foreign patients and healthcare workers. Additionally, the possibility of limited sustainability of an IHE must be taken into account when evaluating its development and overall impact. This chapter's aim is to summarize the currently available literature on IHEs and to provide subjective reflections from international colleagues and students associated with IHEs connected to the authors' institutions.