An evaluation of an Australian bachelor of nursing program for Japanese nurses: perceptions of Japanese nurses’ learning experience

The School of Nursing, Griffith University, Australia and the Japanese Research Institute-Nissoken of Japan jointly conduct a post-registration, Bachelor of Nursing degree for Japanese nurses. The program enables Japanese nurses to upgrade their initial diploma qualifications. Distance education allows the students to study from their home and in Japanese. The program has been previously evaluated using quantitative methods. However, this did not appear to fully portray concerns raised by students. Therefore, an illuminative evaluation was undertaken to expose the Japanese students’ perceptions of their learning experiences. The student’s perceptions were sought using focus group discussions. Content analysis revealed the way in which Japanese students are strongly affected by cultural values, traditional professional practices and previous educational experiences. The study reveals, that while the program provides Japanese nurses with an opportunity to extend their existing learning paradigm and professional boundaries, this requires reconciliation with their previous educational and cultural experiences and acknowledgement of the occurrence of hindrances to their learning. The outcomes of the study offer timely recommendations for international curriculum, nurse education, program providers offering programs in different countries to be mindful of the combination of student’s prior learning experiences and social and cultural sensitivities.