Experiences of international nursing students in a regional university: A clear direction for nursing education

Abstract

Background

Australia sells education to international students, with education currently Australia’s third-largest export. Asia is Australia’s main source of international students, and Australian immigration policy supports international students to stay in the country after graduation. For international students, moving to Australia can involve a stressful adjustment, with major cultural and social differences.

Objectives

This study explores the cultural, societal, and learning experiences of international nursing students at a regional university in Australia.

Design

This study uses a qualitative research design.

Setting

Regional university in Queensland, Australia.

Participants

All international students enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing program were invited to participate via advertising on the course website, flyers, and mail-outs.

Methods

We conducted six small focus groups, clustered by nationality: South Asian, Nepalese (three groups), Indian, and a multi-ethnicity group to explore student experiences in clinical placement settings. We conducted a seventh group, with First Nations Australian students, which will be discussed in a separate publication.

Results

Student responses were clustered into eight thematic groups: preparedness to study; communication challenges; barriers or challenges to learning; face-to-face learning environments; bias, racism, or discrimination; preferences for support from the university; community support; and their personal strategies for supporting learning.

Conclusions

The findings of this research build on previous research which shows that international students experience linguistic barriers, insufficient social support, and cultural diversities that compound their social isolation and negatively impact their well-being. Our participants reported experiences of racism and communication difficulties in clinical placement settings. International nursing students need support to manage cultural differences and Australian teaching styles. Nursing academics and clinical placement supervisors need professional development in cultural safety to improve the learning opportunities they provide for international students.