Going Domestic: Importing the Study Abroad Experience. The Development of a Multicultural New York City Study Away Program

PROBLEM. Significant off-campus domestic study away experiences have been shown to be a transformative active learning environment for students and achieve similar learning outcomes as study abroad programs. METHODS. This manuscript describes the conception, development, and pedagogical approach of a faculty-led domestic study away experience in New York City for pre-licensure and post-licensure nursing students as an active learning strategy for developing cultural competence. Students participated in service-learning activities that illuminated the realities and challenges persons from other cultures face as they interact with health care in a culture that is not their own. FINDINGS. In partnership with New York Cares (c), students were immersed in well-established ongoing sustainable community-based projects. These experiences fostered reflective conversations between community members, student participants, and faculty regarding social factors, cultural issues and needs, and global issues and trends. CONCLUSIONS. Through the New York study away program, students were able to broaden their perspectives about social factors and culture beyond geographic or ethnic boundaries and apply these service experiences to their nursing practice. Study away programs are an excellent strategy for nursing educators to prepare students for care of multicultural populations and for proficiency in cultural competency within the globalization of the United States.