The Role of the Nurse: A Comparison of the Canadian and Ghanaian Health Care Systems as Experienced by Undergraduate Nursing Students

Abstract

Undergraduate nursing students were placed for three weeks in three small communities in Ghana as part of an international cross-cultural nursing elective.  The main objectives of the placement were to learn about the country’s culture and health care system, and to participate in community nursing placements in both community clinic and school settings.  As nursing students participating in this cross-cultural experience, we had the opportunity to work in Ghana’s health care system, where we were able to learn about the nursing role. It became evident that the nursing values, scope of practice, roles and responsibilities had some similarities, but also demonstrated several differences compared to nursing in Canada. A literature review was performed to contrast the cultural differences compared to nursing practice in Canada. Literature was also applied to our personal experiences to facilitate our understanding of the importance of providing culturally sensitive care. Overall, this valuable cross-cultural experience influenced our personal growth, allowing us to thoughtfully integrate our experience through further reflection and review of literature after the course was completed.