Preparing nursing students for education in the global village.

Educating nurses for the 21st century requires a broad understanding of the health needs of local and global communities. With an increasingly diverse population, nursing students in the United States can gain a unique perspective on health disparities and challenges in providing healthcare for diverse populations. Nursing education has the opportunity to engage students in our global village by providing clinical and theory-based educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate nursing students. Some nursing educational settings in schools of nursing provide global nursing opportunities to explore the social responsibility of nursing. This paper details a specific framework and opportunities for engaging undergraduate and graduate nursing students in caring for the underserved in our global village. Opportunities in the Fulbright Student Exchange Program and Fulbright Senior Scholar Award mechanisms are discussed, and partnerships with international nursing programs are explored.