Page 328 - GHR_NursingCMU2024_Final.indd

Living in a Diverse World: Connecting Nursing Students with the Hmong Culture at
Viterbo University, La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States of America

L. Rauch 1

1
School of Nursing - College of Nursing and Health, Viterbo University, United States

Background: This presentation discusses a newly developed course which examines displaced
peoples’ difficulties to find a balance in American society with the desire to maintain their own unique
cultural identity. It is designed to assist students understand diversity and inclusion in nursing practice.
The Hmong are an isolated agrarian ethnic group living in the mountains of northern Thailand. During
the Vietnam War, the Hmong were recruited by the United States to fight the Viet Cong. After the war,
many Hmong families were relocated from Thailand refugee camps to the United States. La Crosse
became the home for a large number of these displaced families.

Objective: Viterbo University nursing students will care for Hmong patients during clinicals or in other
health care settings. Extending Hmong cultural humility throughout the nursing program helps
support Hmong students and all students caring for diverse populations. Students who anticipate
these encounters help ensure the holistic wellbeing and safety of not just the patient, but the student
as well. Instructors should be able to develop a safe and open dialogue with all students prior to these
potential situations. This is crucial to encourage enrollment of potential nurses that could give back to
their home communities. Therefore, the unique cultural variety of all communities should become a
part of everyday nursing education.

Methods: To address this imbalance, I developed a three-credit humility course that studies Hmong
culture in the classroom and concludes with a two week travel immersion in northern Thailand. The
university supports this course and has expanded it to include disciplines other than nursing.

Results: The initial course and travel abroad experience was met with highly favorable feedback
from students, administration, and faculty. Financial challenges have been met through scholarships,
grants and financial aid.

Conclusion: Interest has already expanded to include a possible faculty-only travel opportunity.

Keywords: cultural, education, humility, nursing, students

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Correspondence: Lin Rauch, School of Nursing - College of Nursing and Health, Viterbo University,
United States
Poster Presentation Abstracts
E-mail: ljrauch@viterbo.edu

326