Timing for Introducing Japanese Nursing Students to International Health Nursing

Objective<br> This study examined when it is most effective to introduce the subject of international health nursing into the curriculum for Japanese nursing students. <br>Methods<br> The study population was third and fourth year nursing students. The study used a self-reported anonymous questionnaire and an examination of student understanding of international health nursing. The questionnaire was administered during the first and the final lectures on international health nursing. The author analyzed 127 data points in the self-reported questionnaire administered during the first lecture, 96 data points in the self-reported questionnaire administered during the final lecture and 137 data points in the examination about understanding of international health nursing which was administered within one week after the final lecture.<br>Results<br> The fourth year students were significantly more likely to have higher scores than the third year students in self-reported evaluation of learning results and in examinations to measure understanding of international health nursing (p<0.001 respectively) . Experience in overseas travel increased self-reported evaluations of learning results (p<0.001). The fourth year students were also more likely to have experience in overseas travel than the third year students (p<0.001) . After controlling for confounding factors, the fourth year students were significantly more likely to have higher scores than third year students in the self-reported evaluation of learning results: Common Odd Ratio: 249.26, 95%Confidence Interval: 35.56-1747.31 for understanding of health problems in developing countries; Common Odd Ratio: 71.91, 95%Confidence Interval: 14.77-350.17 for understanding of diseases in developing countries.<br>Conclusion<br> This study suggests that the learning effects in regard to the subject of international health nursing increase among nursing students when they study it in the fourth year.