Opening My Eyes Building Nursing Student Awareness of Spirituality and Catholic Social Justice Principles.

How can nursing academia impart concepts of spirituality, social justice, and personal and professional growth to nursing students? The authors of this qualitative study explored the narratives of 21 nursing students' reflective journals written while students were participating in a global clinical mission. A guided reflective journal grounded in Catholic social teachings and St. Francis' social justice principles was used daily during the mission to capture participants' thoughts and feelings.

Applying Credit Hours to International Clinical Placements for Baccalaureate Nursing Programs.

Background: As global learning programs gain momentum in nursing education, a variety of models have emerged. A typical experience consists of 1-week international immersion in which faculty, nursing students, and an interprofessional team deliver direct health care to impoverished communities. Our international clinical placements have been successful in providing rich learning experiences while applying clinical credit hours toward required courses in our baccalaureate nursing program.

Pediatric End-of-life Simulation: Preparing the Future Nurse to Care for the Needs of the Child and Family.

Purpose: Preparing a future nurse to respond to the complex and sensitive needs of a child and family during the end-of-life requires more than didactic content in a classroom. During clinical experiences, students may care for children diagnosed with a terminal illness however; it is less likely that a student will have a clinical opportunity to care for a child and their family at the end-of-life. Without having an experience, it is challenging to teach students how to care for the dying child and family including how to appreciate the emotions, thoughts, and expectations when faced with a pediatric death (Lindsay, 2010).