Nursing education in Bangladesh: analysis through an ethnonursing lens and critical social theory

Abstract

Bangladesh, like many other countries, is facing a nursing shortage. Overall, Bangladeshi nurses are inadequately trained, poorly paid, and disrespected as professionals. The Prime Minister of Bangladesh recognizes these challenges and has committed to upgrading nursing education. In 2009, she set a goal to revise the nursing education curriculum to International Council of Nurses standards, which in turn she hopes will enhance the social dignity of Bangladeshi nurses and the quality of care provided. In addition, the Bangladeshi Nurses Council acknowledges the need to educate nurses as critical thinkers. This context impacts how nursing education is offered. The purpose of this project is to holistically explore the social, historical, educational, and economical factors that influence nursing education in Bangladesh, with the goal of recommending teaching strategies that are culturally contextual and imbedded in the Caring Science Curriculum (Hills & Watson, 2011) for Canadian nursing volunteers teaching at International University of Business and Technology (IUBAT). I draw on my personal experience as volunteer nurse educator at IUBAT and the theoretical lens of Critical Social Theory to frame an analysis and an understanding of nursing education in Bangladeshi context. In addition, I employ Leininger’s theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality and the Sunrise Enabler Model (Leininger, 1998; Leininger & McFarland, 2006) to develop pedagogical strategies for visiting Canadian Faculty. The goal of the project is to assist volunteer educators to deliver culturally contextual nursing education that aims to transform didactic education, presently utilized in Bangladeshi nursing education, to student-centered education embedded in critical thinking and the Caring Science Curriculum.