Being a Nursing Student in a Foreign Country (NURS-PHOTO)

Being a Nursing Student in a Foreign Country: a Photovoice Study

Understanding the experiences and specific learning needs of international nursing students is crucial for the success of nursing education programs. Providing necessary support and adjustments to facilitate their adaptation process is essential. This study employs the Photovoice method, a qualitative research approach, allowing students to express their educational journey from their own perspectives. Through visual representation, they can communicate their experiences more effectively.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Nursing Education; Education; Cultural Adaptation
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: This research uses a qualitative method called photovoice. Participants express their "experience of being a nursing student in a foreign country" through visuals and share their feelings and

Detailed Description

In addition to the advantages of being a nursing student in a foreign country, students may face many challenges that affect both their personal and academic lives. The lack of social networks and support systems, combined with the stress of the educational process, can negatively impact academic success. Studying in a foreign language can be particularly challenging, especially in the early stages. Language barriers can cause difficulties in understanding both theoretical and practical aspects of nursing education, hindering interaction with peers, faculty, and health teams in clinical settings. This can slow down the learning process and lead to communication breakdowns. Adapting to a new culture can also be challenging for some students, leading to anxiety, loneliness, or depression. Additionally, studying abroad brings extra costs such as tuition fees, accommodation, transportation, and health insurance.

This research will use a qualitative research method called the photovoice technique. Students meeting the inclusion criteria will be informed about the study's purpose and method, and invited to participate. Students who agree to participate will first complete an Introductory Information Form. They will then be asked to submit three photos, taken with their smartphones, that they feel reflect their experiences of "living in a foreign country and being a nursing student" within a week. Before photo submission, participants will be provided with the photo-taking procedure and will be required to send their photos along with date and time information and brief descriptions. These photos will be stored by the responsible researcher with a code number on a personal computer, along with transcripts.

The second phase of data collection will involve scheduling interviews in a quiet and secure environment. During face-to-face interviews, open-ended questions from the Structured Individual Interview Form will be asked, and participants will be encouraged to express their feelings and thoughts about the photos they have taken. They will also be asked to choose one photo that best represents their experience of "living in a foreign country and being a nursing student," and explain why they chose it. The two assistant researchers will transcribe the participant's explanations directly during the interview for content analysis.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 96

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Nursemin Unal, Associate Prof.; Phone Number: +905077433629; Email: nurse_unal@hotmail.com
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Gamze Acavut, Assist. Prof.; Phone Number: 0555 8041783; Email: gmzkyl86@yahoo.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The population consists of foreign students enrolled in the English program of the Nursing Department at a private university.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being enrolled in the English program of the Nursing Department at a university during the 2024-2025 academic year.
• Being registered in the nursing department with the international student quota.
• Having completed at least one semester of nursing education.
• Owning a smartphone capable of taking photos.
• Volunteering to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Students who wish to withdraw from the study at any stage will not be included in the research.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Intervention / Treatment

Photovoice; Photovoice is a participant-centered research method that allows participants to convey their experiences through visual data. This method is particularly used to understand social issues and the challenges individuals face. Participants take photos that they find meaningful related to the research topic and express their feelings, thoughts, and experiences through these images. In this study, the Photovoice method is used to visualize the experiences of being a nursing student in a foreign country. Participants share their cultural adaptation, educational processes, personal challenges, and overall life experiences through photos taken with their smartphones. The photos are then analyzed in-depth during face-to-face interviews with the participants, where they discuss the meaning of the photo, the reason for choosing it, and their personal experiences.

Other: This research uses a qualitative method called photovoice. Participants express their "experience of being a nursing student in a foreign country" through visuals and share their feelings and; Photovoice is a participant-centered research method that allows participants to convey their experiences through visual data. This method is particularly used to understand social issues and the challenges individuals face. Participants take photos that they find meaningful related to the research topic and express their feelings, thoughts, and experiences through these images. In this study, the Photovoice method is used to visualize the experiences of being a nursing student in a foreign country. Participants share their cultural adaptation, educational processes, personal challenges, and overall life experiences through photos taken with their smartphones. The photos are then analyzed in-depth during face-to-face interviews with the participants, where they discuss the meaning of the photo, the reason for choosing it, and their personal experiences.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Semi-structured Questions	The interview is supported by four semi-structured questions that encourage international students to express their experiences: What is it like to be a student at this school? What factors help you in your studies here? As an international student, what challenges do you face? Can you describe your experiences as a nursing student in a foreign country?	Within 1 week after participating in the study and submitting the photos to the researcher

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ankara University
• Investigators: Study Chair: Gamze Acavut, Assist. Prof., Ankara Medipol University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Merry L, Vissandjee B, Verville-Provencher K. Challenges, coping responses and supportive interventions for international and migrant students in academic nursing programs in major host countries: a scoping review with a gender lens. BMC Nurs. 2021 Sep 18;20(1):174. doi: 10.1186/s12912-021-00678-0.
• Tanrıkulu, F., Öner, Ö., Gürcay, B., & Akgül, E. (2024). A Qualitative Study of Foreign Nursing Students' Experiences of Educational Process. Journal of Qualitative Research in Education, (39), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.14689/enad.39.1732
• Kol E, Arikan F, Arikan C, Yabarow F, Gunbayi I. Being an international nursing student in Turkey: A qualitative study. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2021 Jan;57(1):66-72. doi: 10.1111/ppc.12525. Epub 2020 May 8.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): February 17, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 3, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 6, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 6, 2025
• Last Verified: February 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: nursing students; Cultural Adaptation; photovoice; international education
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2025/3

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No