Developing and validating learning domains, competencies, and evaluation items for global health clinical immersion practicums for graduate-level nursing programs

Abstract

Aim: To develop and validate learning domains, competencies, and evaluation tool for graduate-level experiential nursing global health programs.

Background: Standard competencies have not been synthesized and delineated nor have evaluation tools been developed for global health programs at the graduate level.

Design: A combination of a documentary literature review and expert consensus panel to validate results was used as a design for this study.

Methods: The NLM and CINAHL databases were searched for articles published between 2007 - 2017 relevant to graduate-level global health nursing programs. Data were extracted and coded, from which themes regarding learning domains, competencies and evaluation items were derived. We then used a three-step expert panel to refine and form a statistical representation (>0.78 agreement on importance, relevance and clarity) of the learning domains, competencies, and evaluation items.

Results: Relevant articles (N = 26) were included for the documentary review, 18 concerning learning domains of global health immersion programs and eight concerning interdisciplinary global health competencies specific to nursing. These learning relationships were then formatted into a table subdivided between learning categories for expert panel consensus. After expert panel review, a compendium of learning domains, competencies, and evaluation items resulted.

Conclusion: Global health clinical learning practicums are essential for graduate-level preparation of nurses. Learning domains, competencies, and evaluation tools need to be adopted and empirically tested by international and national nursing associations. The results of this study need further testing to aid these associations.

Keywords: advanced practice nursing; clinical immersion practicums; competencies; global health; host country partnership; instrument development; learning domains; literature review; nursing; program evaluation.