International Networking: An Experience of American and Chinese Pediatric Nurses

Abstract

International networking offers opportunities for broadening insights of nursing and collegial contacts beyond the confines of one's national and educational setting. This article discusses the networking experiences of a group of American nurses participating in an educational exchange in the People's Republic of China. Exchange discussions centered on commonalities of concerns such as education of nurses, staffing patterns, well-child versus ill-child care, major health problems of childhood, clinical nursing techniques, patient education, and organizational policies. Participants became aware of the common core of caring that unites nurses throughout the world and its power to advance the health of the world community.