title: When West meets East: a short-term immersion experience in South Korea.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore American student perceptions of caring for Korean patients during a 2 week exchange program. Perceptions of Korea/Koreans focused on five areas: respect, hospitality and gift giving, ability to speak English, hierarchical relationships, and being protective. Their perceptions of personal change focused in four areas: valuing personal cultural experiences, increasing cultural awareness and compassion, seeing people from other ethnic groups as individuals and developing interest in oriental medicine. Four areas of importance identified when caring for Korean patients included showing respect, importance of family, food, and care for post-partum mothers. Differences were experienced between an individualistic, low-context society (United States) and a collectivist, high context society (Korea) where the influence of Confucianism is pervasive.
authors.affiliation: Indiana University Kokomo, USA. lwallace@iuk.edu
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007393:International Educational Exchange; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D033262:Narration; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000379:methods*; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States