International health: a new challenge to nursing education

Resumo

A survey was conducted among 110 Schools of Nursing in USA and 5 Schools in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to identify the international health (IH) component in nursing education, practice and research. A significant part of U.S. schools and all 5 LAC schools have international activities, and this interest has started basically in the last 5 to 10 years. There was difference in the structure of IH activities among U.S. and LAC nursing schools, but they were similar in the type of support offered to IH initiatives. IH content in nursing education among U.S. schools was related to culture, health systems and community health; in LAC schools, IH content was related to health promotion, health policy and strategies and nursing perspectives. U.S. and LAC schools with international activities have only 10% of their faculty and students involved with IH initiatives. The nursing schools still lack courses and activities that the Schools of Public Health have implemented to deal with IH. The article observes areas that need to be strengthened so that nursing professionals can expand their leadership roles in research and practice in international health.