There is something exciting that happens when you combine faculty’s creative ideas and passion for learning and educating students with a team of committed mentors. Lots of really great ideas spring into action!  It is always a pleasure to recognize faculty who are leading the way in creating innovative approaches to virtual global learning (VGL) and so I’d like to highlight three faculty who received our Office of Global Innovations Virtual Global Learning Awards. Our faculty awardees, Jeannie Bochenek, Tara O’Brien, and Elizabeth Sharp, took the lead in developing creative approaches of bringing students around the global together for shared learning experiences across a variety of programs and assignments. Here are a few brief synopses of what has been happening this year.

In Tara King’s Nursing 2781H Honors Research Methods class, she developed a collaboration with her 29 students and 18 students who were enrolled in 3806NRS Professional Nursing Practice at Griffith University School of Nursing & Midwifery, Gold Cost Campus, located in Queensland, Australia. During the last week of February, the students in both groups posted their, names, personal pictures, hobbies, and nursing plans after graduation in Microsoft Teams. They also viewed a video about an overview of the Australian healthcare system and the United States health care system. Both classes then met virtually, via Microsoft Teams and Zoom. Students introduced themselves and participated in a group case study about the nurse’s role within a scenario of a patient having complications with urinary tract infections, using evidence from the literature. Tara noted the student interaction was incredible and post-experience data noted students rated their experience as extremely satisfying. The students noted they had discussed issues of education preparation, racism, and lack of patient access to health care as well as evidence-based approaches to care.

Students from Canada and the U.S. connected through interviews with two public health nurses who have lived and worked in different cities in Canada as part of Jeannie Bochenek’s virtual global classroom experience. School Nurse Guidelines for Ontario, Canada and the work they have done across the province of Ontario and across Canada to advocate for School Nursing were included in the question and answer format. Interviews were captured in Zoom for future learning application. Next steps include plans to expand the collaboration to include a similar approach with a Chinese colleague for use with N3116 School Health Management and in N3118 Practicum for School Nursing.

Liz Sharpe’s original idea focused on ways enable global appreciation of common goals in neonatal resuscitation for neonatal nurse practitioner students preparing to begin clinical training in the next semester. The American Academy of Pediatrics Neonatal Resuscitation Program sets the standard worldwide. While the goals of resuscitation may be similar, the availability and types of equipment can vary. The original plan was to partner with a simulation specialty company in Austria for a shared synchronous virtual experience. With the pandemic impacting the Austrian practice environment, the needed physical gathering for this opportunity has delayed this approach. Despite that delay, the teams have already learned of significant differences in nursing practice and education between both countries. While Austria does have nurses specializing in neonatal care, they do not perform same functions with autonomy as nurse practitioners in the US. Plans continue to rethink and modify VGL approaches to capture learning experiences between the two countries.

Our 2020-21 awardees will be added to our initial mentor team, comprised of Tara King and myself, to assist and support next year’s awardees Sara Edwards, Kate Gawlik, and Cindy Zellefrow (remember to say congrats!). In this way, we all learn from each other’s experiences and grow our team of VGL experts! Please apply next year when the call for proposals comes out. All faculty involved agree- this is a fun and energizing way to expand your teaching expertise, develop relationships, and grow opportunities for scholarship. Sending you healthy, happy holiday wishes!

AUTHOR

Dianne Morrison-Beedy, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN

Chief Talent & Global Strategy Officer

The Ohio State University College of Nursing

I set off on my third Fulbright adventure, this time as a Fulbright Specialist heading to Oslo, Norway. While working on various nursing curriculum strategies, conducting leadership development workshops and giving talks on evidence-based practice to improve health care, I started noticing something else. There was the essence of  “hygge” all around me. As a newcom er to Norway, I wondered, could I gain some of this cultural experience while I was here?

at left: Enjoying Fulbright celebration in Oslo with retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Kenneth J. Braithwaite, U.S. ambassador to Norway. He is a strong supporter of nurses and nurse practitioners!

If you don’t know anything about “hygge,” it is a term used primarily in Scandinavian countries (but it is spreading to the U.S.) that describes a mindset or state of being. Originally derived from Danish (Oslo sits almost right across the sea from Copenhagen), hygge (pronounced hue-guh not hoo-gah) is a word used when acknowledging a feeling or a moment,  that is cozy, warm, contented, comforting, special or charming. To be “hyggeligt” doesn’t take extraordinary events or activities; hygge can occur, and often does, in day-to-day activities or experiences. What hygge definitely is not is a thing or something you buy (there are no “hygge foods” or “hygge furniture” for sale) and you sure don’t need a class on becoming hyggeligt (although I am sure someone in North America will offer one sooner or later – sigh).

What it took for me to become more culturally-integrated with my Norwegian (and other Scandinavian) colleagues was my taking a step back, taking a deep breath, and slowing my mind, activities, and spirit down a notch or two. Case in point, busy American at work in the office (type, write, read, type, write, read, repeat) – you get the picture. Suddenly the faculty all gather for lunch – together – all take time to come out of their offices and break bread as a group. Not just a few buddies, all of them, and, of course, I am invited. Bowls of fruit or sweets are placed on the table. Everyone gets settled and no one gobbles down their lunch getting ready to spurt back to their paper, lecture, meeting or whatever (oh, except me the first time we did this as I had no idea how to settle down). Everyone focuses, not on work issues, but pleasant conversations of last night’s good concert, the new restaurant reviews, plans for family gatherings and the like. It is just a cozy, relaxed, good-feeling lunch – a little bit of hygge at work. Oh, remember to save room for late afternoon snack time when everyone will gather again for a brief relaxing moment together with cake or sweets and, of course, kaffe.

One of the wonderful opportunities provided by a Fulbright experience is the chance to get to know professional acquaintances on a deeper level as people. I was the happy recipient of many meals prepared by my new friends at their homes. And, of course, the hygge continues. Everyone loves candles – lots of them – and they come out for every meal. Setting a beautiful table, preparing meals from scratch, vases of fresh flowers, enjoying hours of conversation, all are standard hygge experiences when invited to a friend’s house. How relaxing! With a furry seat cover or a knitted throw to cover yourself with on the balcony after dinner…how cozy!

at right: Catching a little of the “hygge” spirit (yes: cake, candles, coffee, flowers)

When in need of a contented, comforting experience never downplay the impact of a good kaffe (A.K.A. coffee) – and in Norway kaffe is a big deal! Wonderful kaffe machines in every office and kaffes all over the town. Whether it’s the typical start your day kaffe, mid-morning break kaffe, mid-afternoon pick up kaffe, and post dinner delight kaffee – kaffe is a simple way to hygge it with friends and co-workers. No wonder Norway is the second leading nation for consuming coffee.  But please, china cups are preferred as they are extremely green-friendly here.

I tried to give you a little feel for my entry into hyggeligt but, to me, this also included the contented, comfortable feeling you get being with new friends from around the world. Each of my Fulbright experiences has allowed me the opportunity to develop creative ideas in research and clinical practice, share educational approaches, learn a different way of thinking and forge closer bonds. I include here each of the Fulbright pathways for faculty and students. I, myself, have had the Scholar (Scotland), Administrator (France) and now the Specialist (Norway).   In a nutshell – Fulbright is life-changing! Check out their website (www.us.fulbrightonline.org for students or www.cies.org for faculty scholars) and their Twitter account @FulbrightAssoc. You can also find many of my Fulbright experiences @DMorrisonBeedy as well. I’d love to write more but guess who just got invited for cake and kaffe? After all, it is afternoon in Oslo.