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The six University of Ulster students had no choice: they are the second class for whom foreign study is a graduation requirement. The three IU South Bend students who chose to apply for the opportunity to study abroad were surprised to meet students from Spain, Sweden and nearby Kentucky.
But all the students in the exchange are convinced that observing another country's health-care system has allowed them to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their own and that nursing will benefit from the experience.
Back in the classroom, the "real world" experiences of the exchange students provided tangible comparisons to the abstract discussion of the cultural, economic and political factors that influence the model of health care a country develops. The cross-cultural perspectives helped inform considerations of the complex questions surrounding the allocation of limited resources faced by all countries.
The seeds of awareness developed for the IUSB students during the exchange experience are likely to grow into general wisdom about health-care reform in this country, predicts IUSB instructor Kathleen Scarry.
"It's nurses who implement change on a client-by-client basis; they're the ones who know what isn't working," she said.
IUSB offers exchanges and study abroad programs in England, Ireland, Mexico, Japan and Germany. Students can receive a certificate in international studies by completing 15 hours of course work designated as having an international focus and six hours of a foreign language.